Storage containers

Abstract

The container should be able to be firmly grasped and lifted from above by pinching the opening of the container body, regardless of whether the lid is on or off, without slipping. [Solution] The container body 1, which is open at the top, is formed by erecting an even number of side wall sections 3 around the periphery of a bottom plate 2. A protruding edge 5 is provided on the outer surface of the opening edge of the container body 1, on which fingers brought up from above the container body 1 can be placed. This protruding edge 5 is formed on at least one pair of opposing side wall sections 3. The width of the protruding edge 5 gradually decreases from the central part of the side wall section 3 to the corner part with the adjacent side wall section 3, and is not present at the corner part. The outline of the protruding edge 5 is formed in a curved shape, with the maximum width protruding at the central part of the side wall section when viewed from the plane of the container body 1. The maximum width of the protruding edge 5 is 1.1 mm and the height is 2 mm.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage container that is formed with an opening at the upper end of a container body. Even when lifted so as to pinch the opening of the container body from above, it can be firmly grasped and lifted without slipping off regardless of the presence or absence of a lid, and can be easily lifted and taken out even when stored, for example, in the lowest drawer of kitchen equipment or in the vegetable compartment arranged at the lowest level in a refrigerator.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a container having a sealable lid shown in Patent Document 1 proposed as a so-called pop container. This container can be opened and closed with one touch by pressing a button provided in the center of the lid. Once pressed down, the gasket around the lid expands and presses against the inner circumference of the container body to maintain a sealed state. By pressing down again, the lid is lifted up to release the sealed state and the lid can be opened.

[0003] The food storage container shown in Patent Document 2 constitutes a lid body provided with a lip portion that presses against the inner peripheral edge of the container body on the outer peripheral edge, and maintains the container in a sealed state by forcibly pushing this lid body into the opening of the container body.

[0004] The sealed container shown in Patent Document 3 has an elastic packing that presses against the inner peripheral edge of the opening of the container body formed on the outer edge portion of the lower surface of the lid. When the lid is placed on the container body, it is made into a sealed state by the elastic packing, and the lid is fixed to the container body by engaging the lid with a protrusion provided on the outer surface of the container body by a stopper.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] In Patent Document 1, the lid can be opened and closed with a touch by pressing the periphery of the lid, which is placed inside the opening of the container body, against the inner circumference of the container body and then releasing that pressure. Therefore, by lifting the periphery of the lid when it is sealed with pressure, the container body can also be lifted. However, if the container is stored in a low position, even if the entire container can be lifted by pinching the lid from above, if the stored items are heavy and bulky, slippage may occur at the pressure contact point, causing only the lid to detach from the container body.

[0007] Furthermore, since Patent Document 2 merely involves pressing the lip portion provided on the outer edge of the lid against the inner circumference of the container body, similar to Patent Document 1, the same drawbacks as in Patent Document 1 are recognized.

[0008] In Patent Document 3, the container body and lid are sealed by an elastic packing, and the container body is kept sealed by engaging a stopper with a projection on the outer surface of the container body. However, even if it is possible to lift the container body by placing fingers on the projection, this projection only engages the stopper to maintain the sealed state, and it is difficult to lift the container body by, for example, pinching it with your fingers.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention was created in view of the various conventional circumstances described above, and aims to provide a storage container that can be easily and quickly lifted by grasping it from above, regardless of whether it has a lid or not, even if it contains bulky food items, and even if it is stored at a low position, by forming a protruding edge on the outer surface of the opening edge of the container body on the outer surfaces of opposing side walls of the container body that is large enough for fingers to grip, for example, by pinching the protruding edge with one hand after opening it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a container body 1 with an open top, which is formed by erecting an even number of side wall portions 3 on the periphery of a bottom plate 2. A protruding edge 5 is provided on the outer surface of the opening edge of the container body 1, on which fingers brought up from above the container body 1 can be placed. This protruding edge 5 is formed on at least one pair of opposing side wall portions 3. Furthermore, the protruding edge 5 can be configured such that its width gradually decreases from the central part of the side wall 3 to the corner portion with the adjacent side wall 3, and is not present at the corner portion. The outer edge of the protruding rim 5 can be formed as a curved line that protrudes with maximum width at the central part of the side wall 3 when viewed from the plane of the container body 1. The maximum width of the protruding edge 5 can be formed to 1.1 mm. The height of the protruding edge 5 is set to 2 mm, and its outer upper and lower edges can be formed in an arc shape with a radius of 0.5 mm. The container body 1 can be configured to have a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The container body 1 can be configured by attaching a lid member 10 to the opening of the container body 1, which is equipped with an opening / closing mechanism 11 that allows the container body 1 to be opened and closed by pressing against or separating from the inner surface of the opening of the container body 1.

[0011] In the storage container according to the present invention configured as described above, the protruding rim 5 formed at the opening of the container body 1 catches fingers or other objects brought up from above, thereby causing not only the container body 1 itself, but also the contents stored inside the container body 1, and the lid member 10 that closes the container body 1 to be lifted together. The protruding edge 5 has its maximum width at the central part of the side wall 3, which, combined with the fact that it serves as a normal and common support point when lifting the container body 1 with fingers, ensures a secure engagement of fingers and allows for a secure and smooth lifting of the container body 1. Furthermore, the width gradually decreases from the central part to the corners, and the protruding edge 5 is not formed at the corners, which positions the working support position when lifting with fingers at the central part, further improving the stability during the lifting operation of the container body 1. The protruding edge 5 has a maximum width of 1.1 mm and a height of 2 mm, which provides the best feel and grip for gripping fingers and other body parts, and also gives a sense of psychological security during lifting operations. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As explained above, the formation of a protruding edge 5 on the outer surface of the opening of the container body 1 prevents the lid member 10 from separating from the container body 1 when the container body 1 is configured as a deep-bottom pop container, for example, when lifting with the lid member 10, the lid member 10 may not be able to be lifted together with the container body 1 due to the weight of the contents, and the lifting operation can be carried out safely and stably.

[0013] In other words, in this invention, a protruding edge 5 is formed on the outer surface of the opening edge of the open-topped container body 1, so that fingers brought up from above the container body 1 can be gripped onto it. This allows for stable lifting of the container body 1, regardless of whether the lid member 10 is attached or the weight of the contents, by gripping the protruding edges 5 between the opposing side wall portions 3.

[0014] Furthermore, the protruding edge 5 has its maximum width at the central part of the side wall 3, allowing the container body 1 to be lifted using the usual, typical part of the hand when gripping it from above, thus enabling stable and safe lifting.

[0015] Since the container body 1 is rectangular when viewed from a plane, if the distance between the opposing side wall portions 3 is within the range where the fingers are spread, it can be lifted with one hand. Also, even if the container body is larger than the range where the fingers of one hand are spread, it can be lifted by hanging it on the protruding edge 5 with both hands, and this can be implemented regardless of the size of the container body 1.

[0016] In addition, even if the container body 1 is rectangular when viewed from a plane, if the distance between its long sides is within the range where the fingers are spread, the protruding edge 5 may be formed on the side wall portions 3 of those long sides, and it can be implemented similarly.

[0017] Also, in the case of a so-called pop-up container type where a lid member 10 having an opening / closing operation mechanism 11 that can open and close the container body 1 by pressing against or separating from the inner surface of the opening of the container body 1 is detachably attached to the opening of the container body 1, it is sufficient to hang the fingers from above over the lower edge of the lid member 10 on the protruding edge 5. Also, the finger-hanging operation on the protruding edge 5 at this time does not greatly change from the operation of hanging the fingers on the lid member 10 and lifting it. Thus, even if the weight of the stored item is bulky and it is difficult to lift with the lid member 10, it is sufficient to hang the fingers on the protruding edge 5 of the container body 1, and there is also the advantage of expanding the use of the pop-up container type.

[0018] Note that the reference numerals added in each of the sections of the means for solving the above problems and the effects of the invention are added to facilitate reference to the parts showing the respective components described in the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the structures, shapes, etc. shown by these descriptions, reference numerals in the drawings, etc.

Brief Explanation of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is an exploded perspective view showing one form for implementing the present invention. [Figure 2] It is also an enlarged plan view of the main part. [Figure 3] Similarly, (A) is an end view of the main part along the line A-A in FIG. 2, (B) is an end view of the main part along the line B-B, and (C) is an end view of the main part along the line C-C. [Figure 4] It is an exploded perspective view showing different embodiments as well. [Figure 5] It is an exploded perspective view showing another different embodiment as well. [Figure 6] It is an exploded perspective view showing another different embodiment as well. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view of the usage state when lifting by hanging one hand's fingers as well. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view of the usage state when lifting by hanging both hands' fingers as well.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, referring to the drawings, an embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described. In the figure, reference numeral 1 indicates a container body with an open upper part, which includes a bottom plate 2 and an even number of side wall parts 3 that are erected on the periphery of the bottom plate 2 and whose opposing side wall parts 3 are parallel and continuous so as to surround the periphery, and presents a rectangular shape such as a square shape or a rectangular shape, a regular hexagonal shape, an octagonal shape, etc. when viewed from the plane.

[0021] And, on the outer surface of the opening edge of the container body 1, that is, the upper edge of the side wall part 3, a hanging edge 5 for fingers that protrudes outward from the side wall part 3 is provided along the upper edge. This hanging edge 5 protrudes with the maximum width at the central position in the side wall part 3, gradually becomes narrower from the central part to both side edges, and does not protrude at all at the corner part which is the boundary part with the adjacent side wall part 3, and the width of the hanging edge 5 becomes zero with no width at all.

[0022] ] Since the hanging edge 5 is formed along the opening edge of the container body 1, when a lid member 10 that closes by pressing against the inner surface of the opening of the container body 1 is mounted so as to become, for example, a so-called popcorn container, it is positioned at the boundary part with the lid member 10. By doing so, when hanging fingers on the lid member 10 from above, the fingers are naturally brought to the opening edge of the container body 1, and the fingers also come to hang on the hanging edge 5.

[0023] Furthermore, the protruding edge 5 is formed in a curved arc shape, being wide at the center when viewed from above, and gradually narrowing towards both sides. The upper and lower edges of the protruding edge 5 are also formed in an arc shape in cross-section, ensuring a comfortable fit for the fingers.

[0024] The protruding rim 5 itself is formed on each of the opposing side walls 3 of the container body 1. As shown in Figure 7, when lifting the container body 1 from above with one hand, for example, when spreading the fingers and then narrowing them to grasp the top of the container body 1, the fingers can be placed on the protruding rim 5 by pinching it between the thumb and other fingers, allowing the container to be lifted.

[0025] Considering that the container will be lifted with one hand, the spacing, length, and distance between opposing side walls 3 on the container body should preferably be approximately 100-120 mm in maximum width. If the container is approximately square when viewed from above, the depth and width should be approximately the same. If the container is rectangular when viewed from above, the spacing between the longer side walls 3 should correspond to this. However, the container is not limited to these dimensions.

[0026] Of course, although not shown in the illustrations, the same applies to cases where the shape is a regular hexagon or a regular octagon in plane. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, even if the container body 1 is relatively large, with a distance between opposing side walls 3 such that it cannot be lifted with one hand, it can still be lifted with both hands, so the same method can be used with these container bodies 1 as well.

[0027] When the container body 1 is lifted, it remains stable without tilting significantly by supporting at least the opposing side walls 3. Therefore, it is sufficient for the protruding edges 5 to be provided on at least one pair of opposing side walls 3. Of course, it is also acceptable to provide them on all of the opposing side walls 3. In that case, handling becomes even easier, as there is no need to check the presence or absence of the protruding edges 5 on any of the opposing side walls 3, and no need to choose which side wall 3's protruding edge 5 to place your fingers on.

[0028] To explain the protruding edge 5 in more detail, as shown in Figure 2, the maximum width of the protrusion at the central part of the side wall 3 corresponds to a width sufficient for fingers to grip and lift the container body 1. For example, the protruding width is 1.1 mm and the height is 2 mm, and the upper and lower edges of the outer surface of the protruding edge 5 are formed in an arc shape with a radius of 0.5 mm to ensure a comfortable grip for the fingers. Of course, the protruding length and height are not limited to these, as long as it is possible to lift the container by gripping it with fingers.

[0029] However, if the maximum width and height are larger than these limits, for example, when configured as a pop container, the adjacent protruding edges 5 will come into contact with each other when lined up side by side, making it impossible to arrange them neatly. Furthermore, the protruding edges 5 will be conspicuous, ruining the smart styling image of the pop container. Conversely, if the dimensions are smaller, fingers and other body parts will not be able to firmly grip them, making them prone to slipping when grasped and lifted, increasing the risk of dropping them, and potentially causing anxiety to workers and operators.

[0030] As shown in Figure 2, the protruding length gradually decreases from the central position of the side wall 3 to the corner between adjacent side wall 3s, and in the intermediate portion leading to the corner, the protruding length is about half of the maximum width. The shape of this reduction can be curved (arc-shaped) or straight, but a curved shape can provide a good tactile sensation to the fingers.

[0031] Furthermore, the opening of the container body 1 is fitted with a lid member 10, which is a so-called pop-up container, equipped with an opening / closing mechanism 11 (details of its structure are omitted) that closes the opening of the container body 1 by a pressure action from the inside of the container body 1 and opens when the pressure action is released. In container bodies 1 fitted with such a lid member 10, the outer surface along the vertical direction of the boundary between the lid member 10 and the container body 1 is often designed to be continuous without any steps.

[0032] Therefore, in such pop containers, the absence of handles on the container body 1 means that even when placed adjacent to each other in the front-to-back or left-to-right directions, no wasted space is created between them, resulting in a compact arrangement even with multiple containers. In this kind of densely packed arrangement, when removing individual pop containers, they may be lifted from above by the lid member 10.

[0033] In this case, if the pressure exerted by the opening / closing mechanism 11 against the inner surface of the container body 1 is sufficiently large, the container body 1 will not fall off even when lifted by the lid member 10. However, if the contents stored in the container body 1 are bulky and the overall weight is considerable, the lid member 10 may detach from the container body 1 when lifted by the lid member 10, making it impossible to lift the container body 1 together.

[0034] In such cases, for example, when bringing your fingers to the container body 1 from above, you can extend your fingers beyond the lower edge of the lid member 10 to the area below the opening of the container body 1 and place your fingers on the protruding edge 5 of the container body 1.

[0035] Next, to explain an example of use, the container body 1 can be as shown in Figures 1, 4, 5, and 6. For example, it can be a square when viewed from a 100 mm square plane with a depth of 50 mm, a square when viewed from a 200 mm square plane with a depth of 100 mm, a short side length of 70 mm, a long side length of 200 mm, and a depth of 150 mm, or a square when viewed from a 100 mm square plane with a depth of 300 mm, and so on. A protruding edge 5 is formed on the outer surface of the opening edge of these various types of container body 1. Then, a lid member 10 equipped with an opening and closing mechanism 11 is detachably attached to the opening of the container body 1.

[0036] The contents stored inside the container body 1 may be, for example, food ingredients or various miscellaneous goods, and are not particularly limited. Depending on the size of the container body 1, they may be placed adjacent to each other in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions, and may also be stacked vertically. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 1…Container body 2…Bottom plate 3... Side wall section 5…Ring 10... Lid component 11...Opening / closing operation mechanism

Claims

1. A storage container characterized in that, having an open top container body formed by erecting an even number of side wall sections around the periphery of a bottom plate, a protruding edge is provided on the outer surface of the opening edge of the container body, on which fingers brought up from above the container body can be placed, and this protruding edge is formed on at least one pair of opposing side wall sections.

2. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein the width of the protruding edge gradually decreases from the central part of the side wall to the corner part with the adjacent side wall, and the protruding edge is not present at the corner part.

3. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein the outer edge of the protruding rim is formed in a curved shape that protrudes with maximum width at the central part of the side wall when viewed from the plane of the container body.

4. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein the maximum width of the protruding edge is formed to be 1.1 mm.

5. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein the height of the protruding edge is 2 mm, and the upper and lower edges on the outside thereto are formed in an arc shape with a radius of 0.5 mm.

6. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein the container body has a rectangular shape when viewed from above.

7. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein a lid member equipped with an opening / closing mechanism that allows the container body to be opened and closed by pressing against or separating from the inner surface of the opening of the container body is attached to the opening of the container body.

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