Food containers
The stopper unit's dual-position design in food and drink containers alleviates negative pressure issues by creating a gap, enabling effortless opening and closing with reduced force, ensuring airtightness.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ZOJIRUSHI CORPORATION
- Filing Date
- 2022-05-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-25
Smart Images
Figure 0007864425000001 
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
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[0001] The present invention relates to a food and drink container capable of accommodating food and drink.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, food and drink containers called food jars or soup jars that accommodate food and drink including fluids such as soup are known. The food and drink container has a bottomed cylindrical container body and a plug unit that covers the upper part of the container body. When the plug unit is attached to the container body, the inside of the container body becomes a sealed space by a packing provided in the plug unit. Thereby, leakage of food and drink is prevented. [[ID=?]] [[ID=?]]
[0003] [[ID=?]] When high-temperature food and drink is accommodated in this type of food and drink container, the temperature of the food and drink gradually decreases over time. And when the temperature of the food and drink decreases, the air pressure inside the container body becomes a negative pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure. Then, due to the negative pressure, the plug unit is attracted to the container body. As a result, there is a problem that the operation of opening the plug becomes difficult. [[ID=?]] [[ID=?]]
[0004] [[ID=?]] Regarding this problem, Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a structure in which when opening the plug, the middle plug is raised with respect to the inner lid to open the ventilation hole and return the pressure inside the container body to the atmospheric pressure (for example, see paragraphs 0071, 0077, FIG. 10, etc. of Cited Document 1). [[ID=?]]
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0005] [[ID=?]] [[ID=?]]
Patent Document 1
Patent Document 2
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0006] [[ID=?]]<000003?]] Note: There are some tags with "?" in the translation as the original tags seem to be incomplete or incorrect in the provided text. You may need to check and correct the original text for a more accurate translation.However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, when closing, the vent hole located in the center of the inner lid is sealed by pressing a stopper, provided on the underside of the inner stopper, against the vent hole from above. The structure of Patent Document 2 is similar, although the arrangement of the vent hole and the stopper is reversed. In such structures, in order to prevent food and beverages from leaking out of the sealed vent hole, it is necessary to press the stopper firmly against the vent hole. Therefore, when opening, there is a problem in that the outer lid must be turned many times in the opening direction before the sealed vent hole is opened. On the other hand, when closing, since the stopper must be pressed firmly, there is a problem in that even after the stopper contacts the vent hole, the outer lid must be turned with even greater force in the closing direction.
[0007] This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and aims to provide a food and beverage container that facilitates the opening and closing of the cap by forming a gap early to release the internal negative pressure during the opening operation. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] The present invention relates to a food and beverage container capable of holding food and beverages, comprising a bottomed cylindrical container body and a stopper unit that is detachable from the upper part of the container body, wherein the stopper unit has an upper unit and a lower unit attached to the lower part of the upper unit, the upper unit has a stopper projection that protrudes downward, and the lower unit has an annular inner packing that can be in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the stopper projection, and the lower unit is movable between a first relative position in relation to the upper unit in which the inner packing is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the stopper projection and a second relative position in which the inner packing is separated from the outer circumferential surface of the stopper projection.
[0009] According to the present invention, when there is negative pressure inside the container body, when the stopper unit is removed from the container body, the relative position of the lower unit with respect to the upper unit changes from the first relative position to the second relative position. This creates a gap between the outer surface of the stopper projection and the annular inner packing, and the negative pressure inside the container body is relieved. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the difficulty of opening the stopper due to the negative pressure inside the container body. Furthermore, the inner packing is not pressed against the hole in the vertical direction. As a result, the above-mentioned gap can be formed early between the stopper projection and the inner packing during the opening operation, and the amount of rotation of the stopper unit in the opening direction is small. Also, when changing the lower unit from the second relative position to the upper unit to the first relative position during the closing operation, the amount of rotation of the stopper unit in the closing direction is small, and closing can be completed by turning the stopper unit with light force. This makes the opening and closing operation of the stopper easier.
[0010] Furthermore, it is desirable that the lower unit has a single packing component that includes the inner packing and the outer packing that is in close contact with the container body. This reduces the number of parts in the lower unit.
[0011] Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface of the container body has an inclined surface that widens in diameter towards the top, and it is desirable that the outer packing conforms tightly to the inclined surface while undergoing elastic deformation. In this way, the outer packing receives an upward force from the inclined surface. As a result, when closing the cap, the lower unit can be positioned in the first relative position, and the inner packing can be brought into tight contact with the cap projection.
[0012] Furthermore, the lower unit preferably comprises a first component and a second component fixed to the first component by screw fitting, with the packing component sandwiched between the first and second components. This allows the packing component to be fixed while exposing the inner and outer packing in a manner that enables water sealing. In addition, the vertical dimensions of the lower unit can be reduced compared to when other fixing methods such as snap fittings are used to fix the first and second components.
[0013] Furthermore, it is desirable that the first component has a first claw, and the second component has a second claw that engages with the first claw, and that the engagement of the first and second claws prevents reverse rotation of the screw fitting. This allows the packing component to be fixed in a state where it cannot be disassembled by the user (or at least is difficult for the user to disassemble).
[0014] Furthermore, it is desirable that the packing component has an anti-rotation recess, and that at least one of the first component and the second component has an anti-rotation projection that fits into the anti-rotation recess. This prevents the packing component from rotating relative to the first component and the second component.
[0015] Furthermore, it is desirable that the upper unit has a guide groove extending in the circumferential direction, the lower unit has a guide projection that is movable along the guide groove, the guide groove has a first groove portion and a second groove portion that extends downward from the first groove portion, and the upper unit is rotatable relative to the lower unit between a state in which the guide projection is positioned in the first groove portion and a state in which the guide projection is positioned in the second groove portion. In this case, when the stopper unit is removed from the container body, rotating the upper unit causes the guide projection to move from the first groove portion to the second groove portion. This makes it possible to change the relative position of the lower unit with respect to the upper unit from the first relative position to the second relative position.
[0016] Furthermore, it is desirable that the contact area of the outer packing with respect to the container body is larger than the contact area of the inner packing with respect to the stopper projection. In this way, the frictional force acting between the container body and the outer packing becomes greater than the frictional force acting between the stopper projection and the inner packing. Therefore, when the upper unit is rotated, only the upper unit can be rotated, rather than the entire stopper unit. This allows the guide projection to move from the first groove to the second groove.
[0017] Further, the lower unit is detachable from the upper unit, and it is desirable that the guide groove further includes a third groove portion through which the guide protrusion passes and a click protrusion formed in the third groove portion when removing the lower unit from the upper unit. Thereby, when removing the plug unit from the container body, it is possible to prevent the lower unit from falling off the upper unit.
Effect of the Invention
[0018] According to the present invention, when the inside of the container body is in a negative pressure state, when removing the plug unit from the container body, the relative position of the lower unit with respect to the upper unit changes from the first relative position to the second relative position. As a result, a gap is generated between the outer peripheral surface of the plug protrusion and the annular inner packing, and the negative pressure inside the container body is eliminated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the opening operation of the plug from being difficult due to the negative pressure inside the container body. Further, the inner packing is not pressed in the vertical direction against the hole. For this reason, during the opening operation, the above-mentioned gap can be formed early between the plug protrusion and the inner packing, and the amount of rotation of the plug unit in the opening direction can be a small amount of rotation. Also, during the closing operation, when changing the lower unit with respect to the upper unit from the second relative position to the first relative position, the amount of rotation of the plug unit in the closing direction may be a small amount of rotation, and the plug unit can be closed with a light force. Thus, the plug operation during opening and closing can be facilitated.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0019] [Figure 1] It is a side view of a food and drink container. [Figure 2] It is a longitudinal sectional view of a food and drink container. [Figure 3] It is a side view of a plug unit. [Figure 4] It is an exploded side view of a plug unit. [Figure 5] It is an exploded side view of an upper unit. [Figure 6] It is an exploded side view of a lower unit. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view of the first component seen from the lower oblique side. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view of the second component seen from the upper diagonal side. [Figure 9] It is a longitudinal sectional view of the plug unit at the first relative position. [Figure 10] It is a longitudinal sectional view of the plug unit at the second relative position. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view of the heat insulating component.
Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention
[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the radial direction centered on the central axis A of the plug unit 20 is simply referred to as the "radial direction". Further, the circumferential direction centered on the central axis A of the plug unit 20 is simply referred to as the "circumferential direction".
[0021] [[ID=2`2]]<1. Structure of the Food and Drink Container> FIG. 1 is a side view of a food and drink container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the food and drink container 1. This food and drink container 1 is a container capable of accommodating food and drink containing a fluid substance inside. Food and drink containing a fluid substance include, for example, soup, miso soup, cold soup, mixed rice, Chinese noodles, and the like. However, the food and drink container 1 may be capable of accommodating only solid food. A user of the food and drink container 1 can put these food and drink into the food and drink container 1 and carry them while keeping the food and drink warm or cold. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the food and drink container 1 includes a container body 10 and a plug unit 20.
[0022] The container body 10 is a bottomed cylindrical component that accommodates food and drink inside. The container body 10 is formed of a metal such as stainless steel. As shown in FIG. 2, the container body 10 has a bottom portion 11, a body portion 12, and an opening portion 13. The bottom portion 11 is a disc-shaped portion located at the lower end of the container body 10. The body portion 12 is a substantially cylindrical portion that extends upward from the edge of the bottom portion 11. The opening portion 13 is located above the body portion 12 and is a substantially cylindrical portion having an outer diameter smaller than that of the body portion 12. A male screw 14 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the opening portion 13. The male screw 14 is a spiral protrusion.
[0023] The bottom 11, the body 12, and the opening 13 each have a double-walled structure with a vacuum layer between the inner and outer surfaces. This allows the food and beverages contained inside the container body 10 to be kept warm or cold.
[0024] The stopper unit 20 is a component that seals the opening at the top of the container body 10. The stopper unit 20 is detachable from the top of the container body 10. When the stopper unit 20 is attached to the top of the container body 10, the internal space of the food and beverage container 1 is sealed. When the stopper unit 20 is removed from the container body 10, the opening 13 of the container body 10 is opened.
[0025] Figure 3 is a side view of the stopper unit 20. Figure 4 is an exploded side view of the stopper unit 20. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the stopper unit 20 has an upper unit 30 and a lower unit 40. When the stopper unit 20 is attached to the container body 10, the upper unit 30 covers the upper part and outer circumference of the opening 13. Also, when the stopper unit 20 is attached to the container body 10, the lower unit 40 is inserted inside the opening 13 of the container body 10.
[0026] The lower unit 40 is attached to the bottom of the upper unit 30. The lower unit 40 is also detachable from the upper unit 30. As shown in Figure 4, the user of the food and beverage container 1 can disassemble the stopper unit 20 into the upper unit 30 and the lower unit 40 and wash each unit.
[0027] Figure 5 is an exploded side view of the upper unit 30. As shown in Figure 5, the upper unit 30 has a cover part 31, a plug part 32, and an insulating part 33. The cover part 31, the plug part 32, and the insulating part 33 are made of a synthetic resin that is resistant to elastic deformation.
[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the cover component 31 has a top plate portion 311, a cylindrical portion 312, and a female thread 313. The top plate portion 311 is a disc-shaped part that forms the upper surface of the upper unit 30. The cylindrical portion 312 is a cylindrical part that forms the outer surface of the upper unit 30. The cylindrical portion 312 extends downward from the outer circumference of the top plate portion 311. The female thread 313 is a spiral projection formed on the inner circumference near the lower end of the cylindrical portion 312. When attaching the stopper unit 20 to the container body 10, the female thread 313 of the cover component 31 is screwed onto the male thread 14 of the container body 10.
[0029] The stopper component 32 is a component fixed to the lower surface of the top plate portion 311 of the cover component 31. As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the stopper component 32 has fixing claws 320. The stopper component 32 is fixed to the cover component 31 by engaging the fixing claws 320 with the step 314 of the cover component 31. Therefore, the user of the food and beverage container 1 cannot easily remove the stopper component 32 from the cover component 31. In addition, the boundary between the outer circumference of the stopper component 32 and the cover component 31 is sealed with sealant. Therefore, a sealed internal space 34 is formed between the lower surface of the top plate portion 311 of the cover component 31 and the upper surface of the stopper component 32.
[0030] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the plug component 32 has a plug projection 321 that protrudes downward. The plug projection 321 is located inside the cylindrical portion 312. The shape of the plug projection 321 is roughly cup-shaped. More specifically, the plug projection 321 has a circular bottom surface 322 centered on the central axis A of the plug unit 20, a roughly conical lower outer peripheral surface 323 that widens in diameter from the outer peripheral part of the bottom surface 322 upwards, and a roughly cylindrical upper outer peripheral surface 324 that extends upwards from the upper end of the lower outer peripheral surface 323. Also, as shown in Figure 5, a guide groove 35 extending in the circumferential direction is formed on the upper outer peripheral surface 324 of the plug component 32.
[0031] The heat-insulating component 33 is located in the internal space 34 of the upper unit 30 (the space between the cover component 31 and the stopper component 32). The heat-insulating component 33 divides the internal space 34 of the upper unit 30 into multiple spaces. This suppresses heat from escaping from the inside of the food and beverage container 1 to the outside through the stopper unit 20, thereby enhancing the heat retention and cooling effect of the food and beverage container 1. The detailed configuration of the heat-insulating component 33 will be described later.
[0032] Figure 6 is an exploded side view of the lower unit 40. As shown in Figure 6, the lower unit 40 has a first part 41, a second part 42, and a packing part 43. The first part 41 and the second part 42 are made of a synthetic resin that is resistant to elastic deformation.
[0033] The packing component 43 is an annular sealing member centered on the central axis A. The packing component 43 is formed from a flexible material such as elastically deformable silicone. As shown in Figure 2, the packing component 43 has an inner packing 431 and an outer packing 432.
[0034] The inner packing 431 protrudes radially inward from the inner circumference of the packing component 43. When the stopper unit 20 is attached to the container body 10, the inner packing 431 adheres tightly to the lower outer surface 323 of the stopper projection 321 while elastically deforming. This seals the gap between the upper unit 30 and the lower unit 40. Therefore, food and beverages contained in the container body 10 are prevented from leaking out through the gap between the upper unit 30 and the lower unit 40.
[0035] The outer packing 432 protrudes downward from the outer circumference of the packing component 43. When the stopper unit 20 is attached to the container body 10, the outer packing 432 adheres tightly to the inner circumferential surface of the container body 10 while elastically deforming. More specifically, the inner circumferential surface of the container body 10 includes an inclined surface 15. The inclined surface 15 is inclined so that its diameter increases as it goes upward. The outer packing 432 adheres tightly to this inclined surface 15 while elastically deforming. As a result, the gap between the stopper unit 20 and the container body 10 is sealed. Therefore, food and beverages contained in the container body 10 are prevented from leaking out to the outside through the gap between the stopper unit 20 and the container body 10. In addition, the inner packing 431 and the outer packing 432 create a sealed space inside the food and beverage container 1.
[0036] As described above, in this embodiment, the inner packing 431 and the outer packing 432 are realized by a single packing component 43. This reduces the number of parts in the lower unit 40 compared to when the inner packing 431 and the outer packing 432 are separate components. However, the inner packing 431 and the outer packing 432 may be separate components.
[0037] The first part 41 is an annular part positioned above the packing part 43 and for clamping the packing part 43 from above. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the first part 41 has a disc portion 411 and a cylindrical portion 412. The disc portion 411 extends perpendicularly to the central axis A of the plug unit 20. The cylindrical portion 412 extends upward from the upper surface of the disc portion 411. The second part 42 is an annular part positioned below the packing part 43 and for clamping the packing part 43 from below. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the second part 42 extends perpendicularly to the central axis A of the plug unit 20.
[0038] The packing component 43 is fixed between the first component 41 and the second component 42 by being sandwiched between them. The inner packing 431 is exposed from the first component 41 and the second component 42 on the inner circumference of the lower unit 40. The outer packing 432 is exposed from the first component 41 and the second component 42 on the outer circumference of the lower unit 40. In this way, by sandwiching the packing component 43 between the first component 41 and the second component 42, the packing component 43 can be fixed while exposing the inner packing 431 and the outer packing 432 in a manner that allows for watertight sealing.
[0039] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the first part 41 seen from a diagonal downward side. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the second part 42 seen from a diagonal upward side. In this embodiment, the second part 42 is fixed to the first part 41 by screw fitting. Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the first part 41 has a male screw 413. The male screw 413 is a helical projection. Also, as shown in Figure 8, the second part 42 has a female screw 421. The female screw 421 is a helical projection. The second part 42 is fixed to the first part 41 by screwing this female screw 421 into the male screw 413 of the first part 41. In this way, by using screw fitting, the first part 41 and the second part 42 can be fixed while keeping the vertical dimensions of the lower unit 40 down compared to when other fixing methods such as snap fitting are used.
[0040] As shown in Figure 7, the first part 41 has a first claw 414. The first claw 414 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the disc portion 411. Also, as shown in Figure 8, the second part 42 has a second claw 422. The second claw 422 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the second part 42. When the female thread 421 of the second part 42 is screwed onto the male thread 413 of the first part 41, the second claw 422 passes over the first claw 414, and the first claw 414 and the second claw 422 engage. This prevents reverse rotation of the screw fitting. In this way, it is possible to prevent the user from disassembling the lower unit 40.
[0041] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the packing part 43 has an anti-rotation recess 434. The anti-rotation recess 434 is recessed radially inward from the outer circumference of the packing part 43. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, the first part 41 has an anti-rotation projection 415. The anti-rotation projection 415 protrudes radially inward from the outer circumference of the first part 41. When the packing part 43 is sandwiched between the first part 41 and the second part 42, the anti-rotation projection 415 fits into the anti-rotation recess 434. This prevents the packing part 43 from rotating relative to the first part 41 and the second part 42.
[0042] The anti-rotation projection 415 may also be provided on the second part 42. That is, it is sufficient if at least one of the first part 41 and the second part 42 is provided with an anti-rotation projection that fits into the anti-rotation recess 434 of the packing part 43.
[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the first component 41 has a guide projection 44. The guide projection 44 protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 412. The guide projection 44 is inserted into the guide groove 35 of the stopper component 32. This allows the lower unit 40 to be attached to the upper unit 30. The guide projection 44 is also movable in the circumferential direction along the guide groove 35. The user of the food and beverage container 1 can attach and detach the lower unit 40 to the upper unit 30 by rotating the lower unit 40 relative to the upper unit 30 and moving the guide projection 44 in the circumferential direction along the guide groove 35.
[0044] <2. Regarding the negative pressure relief structure> When hot food or beverages are placed inside the container body 10, the temperature of the food or beverages gradually decreases over time. As the temperature of the food or beverages decreases, the air pressure inside the container body 10 becomes a negative pressure, lower than atmospheric pressure. This negative pressure then applies a force to the stopper unit 20 that opposes the opening operation. However, the food and beverage container 1 of this embodiment has a structure to eliminate such negative pressure. This structure will be described below.
[0045] As shown in Figure 5, the guide groove 35 of the plug part 32 has a first groove 351, a second groove 352, a third groove 353, and an inlet / outlet 354. When attaching the lower unit 40 to the upper unit 30, the guide projection 44 of the lower unit 40 is inserted into the guide groove 35 through the inlet / outlet 354. When separating the lower unit 40 from the upper unit 30, the guide projection 44 is removed from the guide groove 35 through the inlet / outlet 354.
[0046] The first groove 351 is located at the position furthest from the inlet / outlet 354 in the circumferential direction among the guide grooves 35. When the guide projection 44 is inserted up to the first groove 351, the guide projection 44 is lightly press-fitted into the first groove 351. This integrates the upper unit 30 and the lower unit 40. The second groove 352 is located on the inlet / outlet 354 side of the first groove 351 and is adjacent to the first groove 351 in the circumferential direction. The second groove 352 extends downward more than the first groove 351. The third groove 353 extends circumferentially between the second groove 352 and the inlet / outlet 354.
[0047] In the closed state, with the stopper unit 20 attached to the container body 10, the guide projection 44 is positioned in the first groove 351. The relative position of the lower unit 40 with respect to the upper unit 30 at this time will be referred to as the "first relative position" below. Figure 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the stopper unit 20 in the first relative position. As shown in Figure 9, in the first relative position, the inner packing 431 is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the stopper projection 321.
[0048] When opening the stopper unit 20 while the container body 10 is under negative pressure, the user grasps the upper unit 30 and rotates it in the opening direction (counterclockwise when viewed from above). This causes the upper unit 30 to rotate relative to the lower unit 40, and the guide projection 44 moves from the first groove 351 to the second groove 352. As the second groove 352 extends downwards compared to the first groove 351, it becomes possible to raise the upper unit 30 relative to the lower unit 40 (move it in the direction of separation).
[0049] As the upper unit 30 rotates, its height increases, but the lower unit 40 is attracted to the container body 10 by the negative pressure inside the container body 10, thus maintaining the height position of the lower unit 40. Therefore, in the relative positional relationship between the lower unit 40 and the upper unit 30, the lower unit 40 is in a "second relative position" that is further away from the upper unit 30 than the first relative position. Figure 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the stopper unit 20 when it is in the second relative position. As shown in Figure 10, in the second relative position, the inner packing 431 separates from the outer circumferential surface of the stopper projection 321. That is, a gap 21 is created between the inner packing 431 and the outer circumferential surface of the stopper projection 321. As a result, air flows into the container body 10 through this gap 21. Consequently, the negative pressure inside the container body 10 is relieved.
[0050] When the negative pressure inside the container body 10 is released, the force resisting the opening operation of the stopper unit 20 disappears. Therefore, the stopper unit 20 can then be rotated in the opening direction with little force.
[0051] As described above, in this food and beverage container 1, the lower unit 40 is movable relative to the upper unit 30 between a first relative position and a second relative position. Therefore, when there is negative pressure inside the container body 10, when opening the stopper unit 20, the relative position of the lower unit 40 with respect to the upper unit 30 can be changed from the first relative position to the second relative position. This creates a gap 21 between the lower outer peripheral surface 323 of the stopper projection 321 and the annular inner packing 431, and the negative pressure inside the container body 10 is relieved. Thus, it is possible to prevent the opening operation from becoming heavy due to negative pressure inside the container body 10.
[0052] Furthermore, the inner packing 431 is not pressed against the hole in the vertical direction when the plug is closed, but rather makes annular contact with the lower outer peripheral surface 323 of the plug projection 321. With this structure, there is no need to compress the inner packing 431 significantly in the vertical direction when the plug is closed. Therefore, the gap 21 can be formed early between the plug projection 321 and the inner packing 431 during the opening operation. Also, when changing the lower unit 40 from the second relative position to the first relative position during the closing operation, the amount of rotation of the plug unit 20 in the closing direction is small, and the plug unit 20 can be rotated with light force. Thus, the plug operation during opening and closing can be made easier.
[0053] Furthermore, in this food and beverage container 1, the outer packing 432 adheres tightly to the inclined surface 15 of the container body 10 while undergoing elastic deformation. As a result, the lower unit 40 receives an upward force from the inclined surface 15. Therefore, when the container is closed, the relative position of the lower unit 40 with respect to the upper unit 30 is maintained at the first relative position. Consequently, when the container is closed, the inner packing 431 adheres tightly to the stopper projection 321, maintaining airtightness inside the container body 10.
[0054] Furthermore, in this food and beverage container 1, the contact area of the outer packing 432 with respect to the container body 10 is larger than the contact area of the inner packing 431 with respect to the stopper projection 321. Therefore, the frictional force acting between the container body 10 and the outer packing 432 is greater than the frictional force acting between the stopper projection 321 and the inner packing 431. Consequently, when the upper unit 30 is rotated in the opening direction, only the upper unit 30 can be rotated, rather than the entire stopper unit 20. This allows the guide projection 44 to move from the first groove 351 to the second groove 352.
[0055] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a click projection 355 is formed in the third groove 353 of this food and beverage container 1. This click projection 355 partially narrows the width of the third groove 353. In this way, even if the guide projection 44 enters the third groove 353 when the upper unit 30 is rotated in the opening direction, it is possible to prevent the guide projection 44 from passing through the click projection 355. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the guide projection 44 from reaching the opening 354. This prevents the lower unit 40 from falling out of the upper unit 30.
[0056] <3. Regarding insulation components> Next, the detailed configuration of the aforementioned heat insulating component 33 will be explained. Figure 11 is a perspective view of the heat insulating component 33.
[0057] As previously described, the thermal insulation component 33 is located in the internal space 34 of the upper unit 30. The thermal insulation component 33 is not a thermal insulation material made of a typical foamed resin, but a molded product made of a non-foamed resin. By using a non-foamed resin, the manufacturing cost of the thermal insulation component 33 can be reduced compared to using a foamed resin. For example, polypropylene (PP), which has excellent heat resistance, can be used as the resin that makes up the thermal insulation component 33.
[0058] As shown in Figure 11, the heat insulating component 33 has multiple partition walls 331 and 332. The internal space 34 of the upper unit 30 is divided into multiple small spaces by the multiple partition walls 331 and 332. This reduces the heat convection that occurs in the internal space 34 of the upper unit 30. Therefore, it is possible to suppress heat from escaping from the inside of the food and beverage container 1 to the outside through the stopper unit 20. As a result, the heat retention and cooling effect of the food and beverage container 1 can be enhanced.
[0059] However, if the number of small spaces partitioned by the insulating component 33 is excessively large, the amount of resin in the insulating component 33 increases, leading to increased heat dissipation by thermal conduction. Therefore, in order to obtain a high thermal insulation effect, the amount of resin used in the insulating component 33 is appropriately set in relation to the size of the internal space 34. For example, in the case of a typical food and beverage container 1, it is desirable that the number of small spaces partitioned by the insulating component 33 be around 10 to 25. If non-foaming resin is used, the material itself does not have small pores, so each small space can be made to an appropriate size. Therefore, both heat dissipation by convection and heat dissipation by thermal conduction can be reduced.
[0060] The multiple partition walls 331, 332 include multiple horizontal walls 331 and multiple vertical walls 332. The horizontal walls 331 extend perpendicularly to the central axis A of the plug unit 20. The multiple horizontal walls 331 are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The internal space 34 of the upper unit 30 is partitioned by the horizontal walls 331 into multiple small spaces arranged vertically. This more effectively suppresses heat from escaping upward through the plug unit 20.
[0061] Multiple vertical walls 332 radiate outwards from the central axis A of the plug unit 20. The internal space 34 of the upper unit 30 is divided into multiple small spaces arranged circumferentially by the multiple vertical walls 332. In this way, the internal space 34 of the upper unit 30 can be divided into sizes suitable for thermal insulation by the multiple horizontal walls 331 and the multiple vertical walls 332.
[0062] As shown in Figure 2, at least a portion of the heat insulating component 33 is housed inside the stopper projection 321. That is, the heat insulating component 33 is placed in the portion of the upper unit 30 that is inserted into the container body 10. This further suppresses heat from escaping from the inside of the container body 10. However, it is desirable that the heat insulating component 33 be placed not only inside the stopper projection 321, but also throughout substantially the entire internal space of the upper unit 30.
[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the heat insulating component 33 has a plurality of positioning protrusions 333. The positioning protrusions 333 are semicircular protrusions formed on a part of the surface of the heat insulating component 33. The positioning protrusions 333 contact the plug component 32 that constitutes the plug protrusion 321. This positions the heat insulating component 33 relative to the plug protrusion 321. In addition, the positioning protrusions 333 make point contact with the surface of the plug component 32. For this reason, deformation of the heat insulating component 33 can be suppressed more than in the case of surface contact. Also, heat dissipation due to heat conduction can be suppressed more than in the case of surface contact.
[0064] <4. Variation> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.
[0065] In the above embodiment, the stopper unit 20 had an insulating component 33 made of a non-foaming resin. However, the insulating component 33 may be an insulating material made of a foaming resin. Also, the stopper unit 20 does not have to have an insulating component 33.
[0066] Furthermore, the above embodiments described a food and beverage container for storing liquid foods and beverages such as soup, miso soup, chilled soup, rice porridge, and somen noodles. However, the food and beverage container of the present invention may also be a water bottle for storing beverages such as tea. Moreover, the food and beverage container of the present invention may contain food and beverages that do not contain liquids. For example, even if the high-temperature food or beverage is solid food, the air pressure inside the container body will be a negative pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, but the present invention still allows for the elimination of this negative pressure inside the container body.
[0067] Furthermore, the detailed shapes of the food and beverage containers may differ from those shown in the figures of this application. In addition, the elements that appear in the above embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate, to the extent that no inconsistencies arise. [Explanation of symbols]
[0068] 1 Food and drink containers 10 Container body 15 Slope 20 Plug Units 21 gaps 30 Upper Unit 31 Cover parts 32 Plug parts 33 Insulation components 34 Interior space 35 Guide grooves 40 Lower Unit 41 Part 1 42 Part 2 43 Packing parts 44 Guide protrusions 320 fixed claw 321 Plug projection 331 Partition wall (side wall) 332 Partition wall (vertical wall) 333 Positioning protrusion 351 First groove 352 Second groove 353 Third groove 354 Entrance / Exit 355 click protrusions 414 First claw 415 Anti-rotation protrusion 421 Female thread 422 Second claw 431 Inner packing 432 Outer packing 434 Anti-rotation recess
Claims
1. A food and beverage container capable of holding food and beverages, A cylindrical container body with a bottom, A stopper unit that can be attached to the upper part of the container body, Equipped with, The aforementioned plug unit is Upper unit and A lower unit attached to the lower part of the upper unit, It has, The upper unit has a plug projection that protrudes downward, The lower unit has an annular inner packing that can be tightly fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the plug projection, The lower unit, in relation to the upper unit, With the plug projection inserted inside the inner packing, the inner packing is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the plug projection at a first relative position, With the plug projection inserted inside the inner packing, the inner packing is separated from the outer circumferential surface of the plug projection at a second relative position, It is possible to move between them. In the closed state, with the stopper unit attached to the container body, the lower unit is in the first relative position with respect to the upper unit. By moving the stopper unit in the opening direction relative to the container body, the lower unit becomes the second relative position relative to the upper unit. The lower unit is a food and beverage container having a single packing component including the inner packing and the outer packing that is in close contact with the container body.
2. A food and beverage container according to claim 1, The inner circumferential surface of the container body has an inclined surface that widens in diameter as it goes upwards. The aforementioned outer packing is a food and beverage container that conforms to the inclined surface while undergoing elastic deformation.
3. A food and beverage container according to claim 1 or claim 2, The aforementioned lower unit is Part 1 and A second part is fixed to the first part by screw fitting, It has, A food and beverage container in which the packing component is sandwiched between the first component and the second component.
4. A food and beverage container according to claim 3, The first part has a first claw, The second part has a second claw that engages with the first claw, A food and beverage container in which the engagement of the first claw and the second claw prevents the screw fitting from rotating in the reverse direction.
5. A food and beverage container according to claim 3, The packing component has an anti-rotation recess, A food and beverage container wherein at least one of the first and second parts has an anti-rotation projection that fits into the anti-rotation recess.
6. A food and beverage container according to claim 1 or claim 2, The upper unit has a guide groove that extends in the circumferential direction, The lower unit has a guide projection that is movable along the guide groove, The aforementioned guide groove is The first groove and, A second groove that extends downward from the first groove, It has, The aforementioned upper unit is, The state in which the guide projection is positioned in the first groove, The state in which the guide projection is positioned in the second groove, A food and beverage container that is rotatable relative to the lower unit between them.
7. A food and beverage container according to claim 1 or claim 2, A food and beverage container in which the contact area of the outer packing with the container body is larger than the contact area of the inner packing with the stopper projection.
8. A food and beverage container according to claim 6, The lower unit is detachable from the upper unit. The aforementioned guide groove is When removing the lower unit from the upper unit, the guide projection passes through a third groove, The click projection formed in the third groove, A food and beverage container that further possesses the following features.