Lower container, packaging container

Abstract

To realize a lower container which can utilize a container with a built-in lid as an upper container to store articles with a storage space divided vertically without losing convenience of the container with the built-in lid, and to realize a packaging container comprising the lower container and the container with the built-in lid.SOLUTION: A lower container (2) includes: a storage bottom surface part (21); a peripheral wall part (22); placement step parts (24) each of which supports an outer edge part of the upper container (3), a container with a built-in lid, to place the upper container (3) on the upper side of the storage bottom surface part (21); engagement parts (25) which engage with the outer edge part of the upper container (3); relief parts (26) provided at portions, which correspond to a hinge part (33), of the upper container (3); and a flange part (23) flatly extending from an upper end (22a) of the peripheral wall part to the side. The relief part (26) has a portion which enables the hinge part (33) to open when a lid body (32) of the upper container (3) placed and engaged opens or closes. A pair of corner cut parts (27) is formed at diagonal positions of the flange part (23).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lower container and a packaging container that can accommodate foods and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in various stores and the like that conduct takeout sales of foods, various foods such as bento boxes and prepared dishes are sold in a state of being accommodated in packaging containers. Also, it is common to purchase necessary amounts of necessary items from various prepared dishes arranged on a table and accommodate them in packaging containers. The work of accommodating the items in the packaging container may be performed by store employees or by the purchasers themselves.

[0003] Although the shapes and structures of packaging containers are diverse, as an example, a lid-integrated container in which a container body and a lid are connected by a hinge portion, so-called a hood pack, is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] There is also a packaging container provided with an inner tray in addition to the container body and the lid (for example, Patent Document 2). In such a container, for example, rice or noodles are accommodated under the inner tray, and prepared dishes or ingredients for donburi are accommodated on the inner tray.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] By the way, the lid-integrated container is a highly convenient product in which the lid of the container body can be easily closed and opened, but it is inferior in terms of separating and accommodating foods because the inside is not partitioned.

[0007] In contrast, packaging containers equipped with an inner tray are superior in that they can separate and store different foods, as the inner tray divides the interior into upper and lower sections. However, because the container body, lid, and inner tray are separate components, they do not offer the same convenience as containers with an integrated lid.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention aims to realize a lower container that can store food and the like by dividing the storage space into upper and lower sections without impairing the convenience of the lid-integrated container, by using a lid-integrated container as the upper container, and a two-tiered packaging container composed of this lower container and the lid-integrated container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, a lower container according to one aspect of the present invention has a storage bottom portion, a peripheral wall portion extending upward from the storage bottom portion, a mounting step portion located on the inner circumference side of the peripheral wall portion and supporting the outer edge of a rectangular lid-integrated container, in which the container body and lid are connected by a hinge portion, and placing it above the storage bottom portion, a locking portion located above the mounting step portion and locking the outer edge of the upper container placed on the mounting step portion, a relief portion provided at the portion of the upper container placed on the mounting step portion corresponding to the hinge portion, and a flange portion extending flat to the side from the upper end of the peripheral wall portion, wherein the relief portion has a portion that allows the hinge portion to open and close when the lid is opened and closed, when the upper container is placed on the mounting step portion and the outer edge is locked by the locking portion, and a pair of corner cuts are formed at diagonal positions of the flange portion.

[0010] According to the above configuration, the upper container can be placed on top of the lower container and locked in place at the mounting step and locking portion of the lower container. This realizes a two-tiered packaging container in which the upper container is stably set on top of the lower container. Moreover, the lower container has a relief portion that allows the hinge portion to be opened and closed when the lid of the upper container is opened and closed while it is set on the lower container, so the lid of the upper container can be freely opened and closed while it is set on the lower container. In addition, a pair of corner cuts are formed at diagonal positions of the flange portion. As a result, even if the upper container is rotated 180 degrees and set, the tip of the handle portion will always protrude from the corner cuts, making it easy to open the lid by grasping the handle portion.

[0011] In one aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned mounting step may have a hinge mounting step on which the hinge portion is mounted.

[0012] According to the above configuration, the hinge portion, whose shape changes as the lid of the upper container is opened and closed, can be stably supported, thus ensuring stable opening and closing of the lid.

[0013] In one aspect of the present invention, the locking portion may be located above the hinge mounting step and have a hinge locking portion that locks the hinge portion.

[0014] According to the above configuration, the opening and closing operation of the lid is stabilized by locking the hinge portion, which changes shape as the lid of the upper container is opened and closed.

[0015] In one aspect of the present invention, a predetermined storage space may be secured between the bottom surface of the container body of the upper container placed on the aforementioned storage step and the storage bottom surface.

[0016] In one aspect of the present invention, the stepped portion described above may be formed in an annular shape over the entire circumference of the peripheral wall portion.

[0017] According to the above configuration, since the outer edge of the upper container is placed on the placing step of the lower container over the entire circumference, the upper container can be placed on the lower container in a more stable state.

[0018] As one aspect of the present invention, the inner end of the flange portion may have a stopper function that restricts the movement of the lid of the upper container in the opening direction while the upper container is placed and locked.

[0019] According to the above configuration, since the movement of the lid of the upper container in the opening direction is restricted by the flange portion, the lid can be set in a semi-open state. This prevents the lid from fully opening and can reduce the occupied area of the two-stage packaging container in the state where the lid is open.

[0020] In order to solve the above problems, a packaging container according to one aspect of the present invention includes an upper container, which is a rectangular container in which a container body and a lid are connected by a hinge portion, and a lower container according to one aspect of the present invention described above.

Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to one aspect of the present invention, by using a lid-integrated container as the upper container, a lower container that can divide the storage space vertically without impairing the convenience of the lid-integrated container and accommodate foods etc., and a two-stage packaging container composed of the lower container and the lid-integrated container can be realized.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the packaging container according to one embodiment of the present invention in a closed lid state. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the packaging container of FIG. 1 in an open lid state. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view of the upper container of the packaging container of FIG. 1 as viewed from the container body side in an open lid state. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view of the lower container 2 of the packaging container of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a plan view of the lower container of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB. [Figure 8] Figure 1 is a schematic end view of the main part of the connecting side of the packaging container in the closed lid state. [Figure 9] Figure 1 is a schematic end view of the main part of the connecting edge side of the packaging container in the open state. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates the orientation of the upper container relative to the lower container in the packaging container shown in Figure 1. [Figure 11] This figure shows the upper container, with its lid open as shown in Figure 9, rotated 180 degrees. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] In one aspect of the present invention, the lid-integrated container itself functions as a partition tray and as a lid for the packaging container, and allows for separate storage in the upper and lower sections without compromising the convenience of the lid-integrated container.

[0024] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. In this embodiment, a food packaging container for containing food products will be used as an example of a packaging container according to one aspect of the present invention. However, the contents contained in the packaging container according to one aspect of the present invention are not limited to food products.

[0025] (Overview of packaging containers) An overview of the packaging container 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the packaging container 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention in the closed state. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the packaging container 1 of Figure 1 in the open state.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the packaging container 1 is rectangular in plan view. The packaging container 1 comprises a lower container 2 and an upper container 3. The upper container 3 is a lid-integrated container with a hinge portion 33, and the lid 32 of the upper container 3 serves as the lid of the packaging container 1. In other words, the packaging container 1 is a two-tiered packaging container with a storage space separated into upper and lower sections. The storage bottom portion 21 of the lower container 2, which will be described later, constitutes the bottom of the packaging container 1, the main body bottom portion 34 of the upper container 3 constitutes the middle bottom that divides the upper and lower parts of the packaging container 1, and the lid 32 of the upper container 3 constitutes the lid of the packaging container 1.

[0027] Furthermore, the packaging container 1 is designed so that the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be freely opened and closed while the upper container 3 is placed on top of the lower container 2 and locked in place. Hereinafter, the act of placing the upper container 3 on top of the lower container 2 and locking it in place will also be referred to as "setting," and this state will also be referred to as the "set state."

[0028] The lower container 2 and the upper container 3 are not particularly limited, but can be manufactured by thermoforming a synthetic resin sheet. The synthetic resin sheet may be either a non-foamed resin sheet or a foamed resin sheet.

[0029] For non-foamed resin sheets, it is preferable to use sheets with a thickness in the range of 0.12 mm to 0.45 mm, and particularly in the range of 0.18 mm to 0.30 mm. For foamed resin sheets, it is preferable to use sheets with a thickness in the range of 0.3 mm to 3.0 mm, and particularly in the range of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm. Furthermore, for foamed resin sheets, it is preferable to have a foaming ratio of 1.05 to 20.0 times, and particularly in the range of 1.5 to 15.0 times.

[0030] As non-foamed resin sheets, thermoplastic resin sheets such as polyethylene resin sheets, polyolefin resin sheets such as polypropylene resin sheets, polystyrene resin sheets, polyethylene terephthalate resin sheets, and polyester resin sheets such as modified polyethylene terephthalate resin sheets with heat resistance can be used. Alternatively, materials that can withstand microwave heating, such as heat-resistant polystyrene resin sheets, polypropylene resin sheets, and modified polyethylene terephthalate resin sheets with heat resistance, may be used.

[0031] As the foamed resin sheet, for example, foamed polyolefin resin sheets, foamed polystyrene resin sheets, and foamed polyester resin sheets such as foamed polyethylene terephthalate can be used.

[0032] Laminated sheets made by stacking synthetic resin sheets can also be used. Examples of laminated sheets include laminated sheets made by heat-laminating a resin film onto a non-foamed resin sheet or a foamed resin sheet, laminated sheets made by co-extrusion, and laminated sheets made by extrusion lamination.

[0033] Examples of thermoforming include vacuum forming, pressure forming, vacuum pressure forming, and hot plate forming.

[0034] The lower container 2 and the upper container 3 may be colored, such as black or white, or they may be transparent or semi-transparent so that the contents can be seen. In this embodiment, the lower container 2 is black and opaque, and the upper container 3 is colorless and transparent. The lower container 2 and the upper container 3 may be provided with reinforcing ribs or the like.

[0035] (Upper container) The upper container 3 is placed on top of the lower container 2 and also functions as a lid to close the opening of the lower container 2 (see Figures 1 and 2). Figure 3 is a perspective view of the upper container 3 of the packaging container 1 in Figure 1, as seen from the container body 31 side when the lid is open. The upper container 3 is a so-called food pack that contains various foods.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, the upper container 3 is a lid-integrated container in which the container body 31 and the lid 32 are connected by a hinge portion 33. The lid 32 can rotate up and down around a horizontal axis relative to the container body 31 by the hinge portion 33. The specific configuration of the container body 31, the lid 32, and the hinge portion 33 that connects and integrates them are all arbitrary, but for example, a configuration like the one shown can be adopted.

[0037] In this embodiment, the container body 31 has a rectangular shape in plan view and includes a bottom portion 34, a side portion 35, a convex portion 36, and a flange portion 37.

[0038] The main body base portion 34 is rectangular in shape when viewed from above. The main body side portions 35 are walls that rise inclined upward from the outer edge of the main body base portion 34, widening upwards. The main body side portions 35 are provided on all four sides (four edges) so as to surround the outer edge of the main body base portion 34.

[0039] The convex portion 36 is provided around the entire circumference on the side of the upper end of the main body side portion 35 and protrudes upward. Specifically, the convex portion 36 is formed at the upper end of the main body side portion 35 by slightly extending laterally, then rising, then extending flat laterally, and then sloping down again.

[0040] The main flange portion 37 is provided around the entire circumference of the lower end of the outer wall that forms the convex shape portion 36. Specifically, the main flange portion 37 is formed to extend laterally flat from the lower end of the outer wall that forms the convex shape portion 36.

[0041] The lid 32 has a shape corresponding to the container body 31, forming a rectangle in plan view, and is configured to face the container body 31 when the lid is closed. The lid 32 has a shape that bulges upward when the lid is closed.

[0042] The lid 32 comprises a top surface portion 38, a lid side portion 39, a concave portion 40, and a lid flange portion 41. Although Figure 3 shows the lid in the open state, for the sake of explanation, the configuration of each part of the lid 32 will be described based on the closed state.

[0043] The top surface 38 is rectangular in plan view. The lid side surfaces 39 are wall surfaces that slope downward from the outer edge of the top surface 38, widening downwards when the lid is closed. The lid side surfaces 39 are provided on all four sides (four edges) so as to surround the outer edge of the top surface 38.

[0044] The concave portion 40 is provided around the entire circumference from the lower end of the lid side portion 39, and forms an upward concave shape when the lid is closed. Specifically, the concave portion 40 is formed when the lid is closed by slightly extending laterally at the lower end of the lid side portion 39, then rising, then extending flat laterally, and then sloping down again.

[0045] The lid flange portion 41 is provided around the entire circumference of the lower end of the outer wall that forms the concave portion 40. Specifically, the lid flange portion 41 is formed to extend laterally flat from the lower end of the outer wall that forms the concave portion 40 when the lid is closed.

[0046] In this embodiment, the convex portion 36 of the container body 31 fits into the concave portion 40 of the lid 32, thereby locking (fitting) the lid 32 to the container body 31 and closing the upper container 3. The body flange portion 37 and the lid flange portion 41 are configured to overlap when the lid is closed.

[0047] The hinge portion 33 is provided in the connecting portion between the main body flange portion 37 and the lid flange portion 41. The container body 31 and the lid 32 are connected by the hinge portion 33. In this embodiment, the hinge portion 33 is formed on the long side of the main body flange portion 37 and the lid flange portion 41. Hereinafter, the side on which the hinge portion 33 is located will be referred to as the connecting side, and the side opposite the connecting side will be referred to as the opening side.

[0048] The hinge portion 33 can have various shapes, and in Figure 3, a hinge portion 33 with a circular arc cross-section is shown. The hinge portion 33 may have a U-shaped cross-section. Alternatively, the hinge portion 33 may be flat when the lid is open and folded in half vertically by a folding portion when the lid is closed. The folding portion is a linearly formed part in the center of the hinge portion 33.

[0049] The main body flange portion 37 and lid flange portion 41, and the hinge portion 33 described above are located on the outer edge of the upper container 3. At least a portion of the outer edge of the upper container 3 is supported by the mounting step portion 24 (see Figure 4) of the lower container 2, which will be described later, so that the upper container 3 is placed on top of the lower container 2. That is, the "outer edge portion" includes at least the connecting edge on the side where the hinge portion 33 is formed, and the opening edge opposite the connecting edge, which is the side of the main body flange portion 37 and lid flange portion 41 on which the hinge portion 33 is not formed.

[0050] A lid tab (tab) 42 is formed on the opening edge of the lid flange portion 41. Similarly, a body tab (tab) 43 is formed on the opening edge of the body flange portion 37. When the upper container 3 is closed, the lid tab 42 and the body tab 43 are configured to overlap.

[0051] By pinching the lid tab 42 with your fingertips, the lid 32 can be easily opened relative to the container body 31. Furthermore, by pinching the overlapping portion of the lid tab 42 and the body tab 43 together, the upper container 3 can be easily removed from the lower container 2. In this embodiment, both the lid tab 42 and the body tab 43 are formed at both ends of the opening edge.

[0052] (Lower container) The lower container 2 is configured to allow the upper container 3 to be placed on top of it, and by placing the upper container 3 on top, it realizes a two-tiered packaging container 1, which is a type of packaging container (see Figures 1 and 2).

[0053] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lower container 2 of the packaging container 1 in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a plan view of the lower container 2 in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Figure 5. Note that in Figures 6 and 7, the cross-sections are drawn thicker than they actually are for emphasis. Figure 8 is a schematic end view of the main part on the connecting side of the packaging container 1 in Figure 1 when the lid is closed. Figure 9 is a schematic end view of the main part on the connecting side of the packaging container 1 in Figure 1 when the lid is open. The state of the hinge portion 33 shown in Figure 9 is the open state of the hinge portion 33. Note that in Figures 8 and 9, only the end face obtained by cutting the connecting side of the packaging container 1 in the vertical direction is shown. Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the orientation of the upper container 3 relative to the lower container 2 in the packaging container 1 in Figure 1. Figure 11 is a diagram showing the upper container in the open state shown in Figure 9 rotated 180 degrees.

[0054] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the lower container 2 has a shape corresponding to the upper container 3, forming a rectangle in plan view, and is open at the top. The lower container 2 includes a housing bottom portion 21, a peripheral wall portion 22 extending upward from the housing bottom portion 21, a container flange portion (flange portion) 23, a mounting step portion 24, a locking portion 25, and a relief portion 26.

[0055] In this embodiment, the storage bottom surface 21 is generally rectangular in plan view, and its outer edge has a zigzag pattern in plan view. Furthermore, a recess 21-1 is formed on the outer edge of the storage bottom surface 21, which is lower than the rest of the surface, and the parts other than the recess 21-1 are formed flat.

[0056] The peripheral wall portion 22 is formed to rise in an inclined manner from the outer edge of the housing bottom portion 21, widening upwards, and the portion enclosed by the upper end portion 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22 is an opening. The peripheral wall portion 22 has a first peripheral wall portion 22-1 connected to the outer edge of the housing bottom portion 21, and a second peripheral wall portion 22-2 located above the first peripheral wall portion 22-1.

[0057] The first peripheral wall portion 22-1 is formed to protrude (bulge) towards the center of the lower container 2, and a flat step portion is provided between the upper end of the first peripheral wall portion 22-1 and the lower end of the second peripheral wall portion 22-2. This step portion constitutes the mounting step portion 24.

[0058] Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the first peripheral wall portion 22-1 cut by a plane parallel to the receiving bottom portion 21, and the shape of the inner edge of the mounting step portion 24, also exhibit a zigzag pattern.

[0059] The mounting step 24 is located on the inner side of the peripheral wall 22 and supports the outer edge of the upper container 3, allowing the upper container 3 to be placed above the storage bottom surface 21. The provision of the mounting step 24 allows the upper container 3 to be placed above the lower container 2 (see Figures 1 and 2). In this embodiment, the mounting step 24 supports the upper container by abutting at least a portion of the outer edge of the upper container 3.

[0060] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, a predetermined storage space with a predetermined height h is secured between the bottom surface 34 of the container body 31 of the upper container 3 placed on the mounting step 24 and the storage bottom surface 21. In other words, the mounting step 24 is provided at a height that can secure a predetermined height h between the bottom surface 34 of the container body 3 of the upper container 3 placed on the mounting step 24 and the storage bottom surface 21.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mounting step 24 has a hinge mounting step 24-1 on which the hinge portion 33 is mounted. The hinge mounting step 24-1 abuts against the hinge portion 33 and supports the hinge portion 33. With this configuration, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the hinge portion 33, whose shape changes as the lid 32 of the upper container 3 is opened and closed, can be stably supported by being mounted on the hinge mounting step 24-1, and the opening and closing operation of the lid 32 becomes stable.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first peripheral wall portion 22-1 is located inside the second peripheral wall portion 22-2 along its entire circumference. Therefore, the mounting step portion 24 is formed in an annular shape along the entire circumference of the peripheral wall portion 22. With this configuration, the outer edge of the upper container 3 is supported by the lower container 2 along its entire circumference, allowing the upper container 3 to be placed on the lower container 2 in a more stable state.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first peripheral wall portion 22-1 protrudes more significantly in the central portion of each side and in the corner portions of the four corners than in other portions, and the mounting steps 24 located in the central portion of each side and in the corner portions of the four corners have a larger area than in other portions. With this configuration, the first peripheral wall portion 22-1 can secure a certain amount of storage capacity even with the protrusion of the lower container 2, while the upper container 3 can be stably supported by the large-area mounting steps 24 provided in key locations.

[0064] The configuration of the support step 24 is not limited to the configurations illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, and is not limited to any configuration that can abut against the outer edge of the upper container 3 and support (hold) the upper container 3. For example, the second peripheral wall portion 22-2 may be formed in a rib shape that protrudes toward the center of the lower container 2 and extends horizontally, with its upper surface serving as the support step. Alternatively, the support step may be provided only at the four inner corners of the peripheral wall portion 22 so that the opening of the lower container 2 has a chamfered rectangular shape in plan view.

[0065] The locking portion 25 is located above the mounting step portion 24 and locks the outer edge of the upper container 3 placed on the mounting step portion 24. The presence of the locking portion 25 allows the upper container 3 to be locked to the lower container 2. In this embodiment, the locking portion 25 is provided on the inner circumference side of the peripheral wall portion 22.

[0066] In this embodiment, the locking portion 25 is located at the upper end 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22, and as shown in Figure 6, it is provided on the second peripheral wall portion 22-2 in a rib shape that protrudes toward the center of the lower container 2. The upper container 3 is locked when the upper surface of the outer edge of the upper container 3 abuts against the lower surface of the locking portion 25. In this embodiment, such locking portions 25 are provided on the upper end 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22 in the direction in which the edge of the upper end 22a extends, with two provided on each side for a total of eight.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the locking portion 25 is located above the hinge mounting step portion 24-1 and has a hinge locking portion 25-1 that locks the hinge portion 33. With this configuration, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the hinge portion 33, whose shape changes as the lid 32 of the upper container 3 is opened and closed, can be locked by the hinge locking portion 25-1, thereby stabilizing the opening and closing operation of the lid 32.

[0068] The configuration and placement of the locking portion 25 are not limited to the configurations illustrated in Figures 4 and 5; any configuration that can lock the outer edge of the upper container 3 placed on the mounting step 24 is acceptable.

[0069] The relief portion 26 is provided in the area corresponding to the hinge portion 33 of the upper container 3 which is placed on the mounting step portion 24. In this embodiment, the relief portion 26 is provided in the peripheral wall portion 22. The relief portion 26 has a part that allows the hinge portion 33 to expand when the lid 32 is opened and closed, when the upper container 3 is placed on the mounting step portion 24 and its outer edge is locked by the locking portion 25. In other words, the relief portion 26 allows the shape of the hinge portion 33 to expand when the upper container 3 is placed and locked (set), thereby enabling the opening and closing of the lid 32.

[0070] The relief section 26 allows the lid 32 of the upper container 3 to be freely opened and closed even when the upper container 3 is set on top of the lower container 2. The relief section 26 makes it possible to open the lid 32 at an angle of 90 degrees or more relative to the container body 31.

[0071] In this embodiment, the distance between the hinge mounting step 24-1 and the hinge locking portion 25-1 is set to allow for changes in the shape of the hinge portion 33 when it is opened and closed, and a clearance portion 26 is formed by securing space above the hinge locking portion 25-1 that allows the lid 32 to be opened and closed. Alternatively, the outer edge of the upper container 3 may be locked with a portion other than the hinge portion 33, and the hinge locking portion 25-1 may not be provided, thereby securing space above the hinge mounting step 24-1 that allows the lid 32 to be opened and closed, and this can be used as the clearance portion 26. In short, the clearance portion 26 only needs to be shaped in a way that allows for changes in the shape of the hinge portion 33 when it is opened and closed, in the portion of the upper container 3 where the hinge portion 33 is located in the set state.

[0072] The container flange portion 23 is formed to extend laterally and flatly from the upper end portion 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22. The container flange portion 23 is provided around the entire circumference of the upper end portion 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22.

[0073] As shown in Figure 9, the inner end of the container flange portion 23, that is, the upper end portion 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22, has a stopper function that restricts the movement of the lid 32 of the upper container 3, which is set on top of the lower container 2, in the opening direction. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the lid 32 of the upper container 3, which is set on top of the lower container 2, from opening too far and keep it in a partially open state. This reduces the area occupied by the two-tiered packaging container 1 when the lid 32 is open.

[0074] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the mounting step 24, the locking portion 25, and the relief portion 26 are provided point-symmetrically with respect to the center of the receiving bottom surface 21. With this configuration, as shown in the diagrams labeled 101 and 102 in Figure 10, the upper container 3 can be set even when the upper container 3 is rotated 180 degrees relative to the lower container 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be opened and closed even when the upper container 3 is rotated 180 degrees.

[0075] As a result, when placing the upper container 3, there is no need to consider which of the two long sides of the lower container 2 the opening edge of the upper container 3 should be positioned on, and it can be easily set up by simply matching the shapes of the lower container 2 and the upper container 3.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4, 5, and 7, a pair of corner cuts 27 are formed at diagonal positions on the container flange portion 23. The corner cuts 27 allow the tips of the lid handle portion 42 and the body handle portion 43, which are the handles of the set upper container 3, to protrude beyond the outer edge of the lower container 2, making it easier to open the lid 32 by grasping the handles. By providing a pair of such corner cuts 27 at diagonal positions on the container flange portion 23, the handles can always be made to protrude even when the upper container 3 is set after being rotated 180 degrees.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an inclined surface 28 is formed at the corner of the second peripheral wall portion 22-2 where the corner cut portion 27 is located, inclined so as to widen from the upper end of the second peripheral wall portion 22-2 toward the upper end of the first peripheral wall portion 22-1. By providing the inclined surface 28, the lid handle portion 42 and the body handle portion 43 of the set upper container 3 face diagonally upward, and their tips protrude diagonally upward. This makes it easier to grasp both the lid handle portion 42 and the body handle portion 43 and remove the upper container 3 from the lower container 2.

[0078] (effect) As described above, with the lower container 2 and packaging container 1 of this embodiment, the upper container 3, which is a lid-integrated container, functions as a tray that divides the upper and lower parts of the storage space of the packaging container 1 and as the lid of the packaging container 1, and it is possible to store items separately in upper and lower parts without compromising the convenience of a lid-integrated container. Moreover, the lower container 2 is formed with a relief portion 26 that allows the lid 32 to be opened and closed by accommodating the change in shape when the hinge portion 33 of the upper container 3 is opened and closed, so that the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be freely opened and closed even when it is set in the lower container 2.

[0079] This allows for easy opening and closing of the lid 32 to add side dishes, even when the upper container 3, which contains tempura or other side dishes, is placed on top of the lower container 2, which contains rice or noodles.

[0080] Furthermore, in the above configuration, since the mounting step 24 and the locking part 25 are provided point-symmetrically with respect to the center P of the storage bottom surface 21, the upper container 3 can be set on top of the lower container 2 even when rotated 180 degrees.

[0081] This allows for easy assembly by simply matching the shapes of the lower container 2 and the upper container 3, without having to consider the position of the hinge part of the upper container 3, making it very user-friendly.

[0082] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the relief section 26 is also provided point-symmetrically with respect to the center P of the storage bottom section 21, so that even when the upper container 3 is rotated 180 degrees and set, the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be freely opened and closed.

[0083] In other words, with the above configuration, the upper container 3 can be set even when it is rotated 180 degrees relative to the lower container 2, and the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be opened and closed even when the upper container 3 is rotated 180 degrees relative to the lower container 2.

[0084] In this example, we have shown a configuration in which the upper container 3 can be set with 180-degree rotational symmetry. However, such a configuration is not necessary in a configuration in which the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be freely opened and closed when it is set in the lower container 2.

[0085] Furthermore, since the upper container 3, which is a container with an integrated lid, functions as both the lid and inner tray of a two-tiered packaging container, the lid 32 is secured (fitted) twice: once by the container body 31 and again by the locking part 25 of the lower container 2. This effectively prevents the lid 32 from opening unintentionally during transport, thus preventing the contents from being wasted.

[0086] Furthermore, by designing the lower container 2 to match the existing lid-integrated container, a two-tiered packaging container 1 can be realized using the existing lid-integrated container. As a result, even if a new upper container 3 is designed, the upper container 3 can be used both on its own and in combination with the lower container 2.

[0087] As a result, it can contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as Goal 12, "Responsible Consumption and Production," and Goal 14, "Life Below Water."

[0088] While an example of using a container with an integrated lid as the upper container and placing it on top of the lower container has been shown, the usage is not limited to this. Instead of a container with an integrated lid, a fitted lid can be fitted onto the lower container for use.

[0089] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 1 Packaging container 2 Lower container 3. Upper container 21. Bottom section of the container 22 Peripheral wall section 22a Upper end 23 Container flange section (flange section) 24 Mounting step 24-1 Hinge mounting step 25 Locking part 25-1 Hinge locking section 26. Escape Department 27 Corner cut section 31 Container body 32 Lid 33. Hinge section (outer edge) 34. Bottom of the main unit (bottom section) 37 Main body flange portion (outer edge portion) 41. Cover flange portion (outer edge portion)

Claims

1. The bottom surface of the storage area, A peripheral wall portion extending upward from the aforementioned bottom surface portion, A rectangular lid-integrated container, located on the inner circumference of the aforementioned peripheral wall, in which the container body and lid are connected by a hinge, is used as the upper container, and a mounting step supports the outer edge of the upper container and is placed above the storage bottom surface, A locking portion located above the aforementioned mounting step, which engages with the outer edge of the upper container placed on the aforementioned mounting step, A relief portion is provided at the portion of the upper container that is placed on the aforementioned mounting step that corresponds to the hinge portion, It has a flange portion that extends laterally flat from the upper end of the peripheral wall portion, The relief portion has a portion that allows the hinge portion to open and widen when the lid is opened and closed, when the upper container is placed on the aforementioned mounting step and the outer edge is locked by the locking portion. A lower container having a pair of corner cuts formed at diagonal positions of the flange portion.

2. The lower container according to claim 1, wherein the mounting step portion has a hinge mounting step portion on which the hinge portion is mounted.

3. The lower container according to claim 2, wherein the locking portion is located above the hinge mounting step and has a hinge locking portion that locks the hinge portion.

4. The lower container according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined storage space is secured between the bottom surface of the container body of the upper container placed on the mounting step and the storage bottom surface.

5. The lower container according to claim 1, wherein the mounting step is formed in an annular shape over the entire circumference of the peripheral wall.

6. The lower container according to claim 1, wherein the inner end of the flange portion has a stopper function that restricts the movement of the upper container in the opening direction of the lid while the upper container is placed and locked in place.

7. The upper container is a rectangular container in which the container body and the lid are connected by a hinge, A packaging container comprising a lower container according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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