Combination containers

Abstract

To provide a combination container in which an exterior body is attached to a container body without using adhesives, etc., and which provides a better usability.SOLUTION: A combination container includes: a synthetic resin container body 20 having a container flange portion 23 at an opening 22; and a paper exterior body 30 having a curled exterior flange portion 33 which is provided on an outer periphery of the container body 20 and which has an upper opening 32 with a container flange portion 23 attached thereto. The container flange portion 23 is formed with a fastening portion 41 which is fastened to an outer surface of the exterior flange portion 33 in close contact therewith, and an extended circumferential portion 42 which extends from the fastening portion 41. The extended circumferential portion 42 is pressed against the outer surface of the fastening portion 41 via a folded portion 43 formed by folding back the extended circumferential portion 42 below the exterior flange portion 33 to form a pressed extended circumferential portion 45.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0005] ,

[0004] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a combined container including a container body made of synthetic resin and a paper outer package disposed on the outer peripheral side of the container body.

Background Art

[0002] In containers for foods and beverages that contain and provide relatively high-temperature contents such as soups like stews, noodles like ramen, main dishes like donburi and curry, and beverages like hot coffee, and instant foods, a container having a combined structure is widely used, which is composed of a container body made of synthetic resin for containing foods and the like, and a paper outer package called a sleeve disposed on the outer peripheral side of the container body and attached thereto.

[0003] In particular, in recent years, international goals defined by the United Nations for sustainable development, called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), have been set, and efforts are actively sought to reduce the environmental impact, such as reducing the use amount of synthetic resin (plastic) and promoting reuse, from the perspectives of protecting marine resources and ensuring sustainable production and consumption patterns, towards a recycling-oriented society.

[0004] In this type of combined container, by attaching and combining a paper outer package on the outer peripheral side of the container body made of synthetic resin, it is possible to reduce the use amount of synthetic resin while suppressing a decrease in the rigidity of the container. Furthermore, since the user holds the container body through the outer package, for example, the heat of high-temperature contents (food) is not directly transmitted from the container body to the user's hand. Thus, the combined container is highly convenient because it is easy to hold even when containing high-temperature contents, and since it is inexpensive and easily moldable, the demand as a container for various foods is increasing.

[0005] Furthermore, the combination container can be separated into a resin container body and a paper outer casing by removing the outer casing from the container body. Therefore, after use, the combination container can be easily separated into resin and paper products and utilized as recyclable resources, making it a promising packaging container for a circular economy.

[0006] In this type of combined container, it is common practice to attach a paper outer casing to the outer periphery of the container body using an adhesive or the like. However, when the outer casing is attached using an adhesive, there is a risk that adhesive residue may remain on the container body or outer casing when the container body and outer casing are separated, potentially degrading their quality as recyclable resources. Therefore, a combined container in which the outer casing is attached to the container body without using an adhesive has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0007] As shown in Figure 5, this combined container 100 has a curled portion 133 that is folded outward at the upper opening 132 of the outer casing 130, and a flange portion 123 formed at the upper opening 122 of the container body 120 is superimposed on the outside of the curled portion 133 of the outer casing 130 and joined together. In the figure, reference numeral 121 denotes the container body of the container body 120, 131 denotes the outer body of the outer casing 130, and F denotes the base portion.

[0008] In the combined container 100, the outer casing 130 is attached to the container body 120 without the use of adhesive by joining the flange portion 123 of the container body 120 to the curl portion 133 of the outer casing. Therefore, the container body 120 and the outer casing 130 can be easily separated by simply releasing the connection between the flange portion 123 and the curl portion 133. As a result, the resin container body and the paper outer casing are easily separated, facilitating recycling. Furthermore, since no adhesive is used to join the container body and the outer casing, the deterioration of the quality as a recyclable resource is suppressed.

[0009] Incidentally, in the above-mentioned combination container 100, due to the process of molding the container body 120 from a synthetic resin sheet, a skirt-like extension portion 124 is formed on the flange portion 123 of the container body 120, as shown in Figure 5. For example, when liquid contents such as soups or beverages are placed in the container 100, users may use it by putting their mouths to the flange portion 123 of the container body 120. In such cases, the skirt-like extension portion 124 may come into contact with the mouth, potentially making it difficult to drink and resulting in a poor user experience. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-1497 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a combination container in which a paper outer casing is attached to the container body without using adhesives, while reducing the amount of synthetic resin used, and which provides a better user experience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In other words, the invention of claim 1 relates to a combined container comprising: a container body made of synthetic resin having a container flange portion at an opening; and a paper outer body disposed on the outer circumference of the container body and having a curled outer flange portion at the upper opening to which the container flange portion of the container body is attached, wherein the container flange portion has a fastening portion that is tightly fastened to the outer surface of the outer flange portion and an extending circumferential portion extending from the fastening portion, and the extending circumferential portion is a pressure-contact extending circumferential portion that is pressed against the outer surface of the fastening portion via a folded portion formed by folding the extending circumferential portion below the outer flange portion.

[0013] The invention of claim 2 relates to the combination container according to claim 1, wherein the folded portion of the container flange is formed on the side of the outer body at a position 45° above the vertical position of the center of the outer flange.

[0014] The invention of claim 3 relates to the combined container according to claim 2, wherein the pressure-welded circumferential portion of the container flange portion is positioned at a position 45° or more above the vertical position of the center of the outer flange portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The combined container according to claim 1 comprises a container body made of synthetic resin having a container flange portion at its opening, and a paper outer casing disposed on the outer circumference of the container body and having a curled outer flange portion at its upper opening to which the container flange portion of the container body is attached. The container flange portion has a fastening portion that is tightly fastened to the outer surface of the outer flange portion and an extending circumferential portion extending from the fastening portion. The extending circumferential portion is a pressure-contact extending circumferential portion that is pressed against the outer surface of the fastening portion via a folded portion formed by folding the extending circumferential portion below the outer flange portion. As a result, in a combined container that can maintain the rigidity of the container while reducing the amount of synthetic resin used, the strength of the fastening portion is improved so that the outer flange portion can be firmly fastened and held by the fastening portion, making it possible to firmly attach the container body and the outer bag without using adhesives, etc., and the usability is improved by eliminating unnecessary protrusions on the outer surface of the container flange portion, making it comfortable to use.

[0016] In the combined container according to claim 2, as described in claim 1, the outer flange portion is formed on the side of the outer body at a position 45° above the vertical position of the center of the outer flange portion. Therefore, the outer flange portion is prevented from falling off during normal operation, and the connection between the fastening portion and the outer flange portion can be easily released manually during separation work.

[0017] In the combined container according to the invention of claim 3, in claim 2, since the pressure-welded circumferential portion of the container flange portion is arranged such that its tip end is at a position 45° or more above the vertical position of the center of the exterior flange portion, the fastening portion can be more effectively reinforced, and the mouth feel is good and a more comfortable feeling of use can be obtained.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a combined container showing an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a container body and an exterior body. [Figure 3] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the mounting state of a container flange portion and an exterior flange portion. [Figure 4] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a combined container having a lid body. <000​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The combined container 10 is preferably a disposable container for single use, such as a one-way or disposable container, from the perspective of food hygiene management and the like. Further, the combined container 10 can be suitably used in an appropriate environment suitable for the use of disposable containers, such as various stores like convenience stores, supermarkets, department stores, restaurants, food stalls, etc., delivery services such as takeout services, and buffet-style offerings.

[0022] The container body 20 is a synthetic resin container formed from a synthetic resin sheet (plastic sheet). The container body 20 has an appropriate shape such as a bowl shape (donburi shape) or a cup shape suitable for the contents such as food and drink to be contained. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a), it has a container flange portion 23 at the opening 22. Further, the shape of the container body 20 can be an appropriate shape such as a polygon such as a substantially circular shape or a substantially square shape in plan view. In the figure, reference numeral 21 is the container body portion, 24 is the container bottom portion, and 25 is a fitting recess provided in the inner peripheral portion 22b of the container body 20. If necessary, appropriate concave and convex shapes can be provided on the container body portion 21 and the container bottom portion 24 to improve the strength.

[0023] Examples of the resin material constituting the container body 20 include thermoplastic resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET resin), and biodegradable thermoplastic resins such as polylactic acid. The container body 20 can be manufactured inexpensively and simply by known molding methods such as vacuum molding and pressure-air molding.

[0024] The outer casing 30 is a paper component, also called a sleeve, that is positioned and attached to the outer circumference of the container body 20 so as to cover its entire circumference. As shown in Figures 1 and 2(b), the outer casing 30 is formed from a paper sheet such as cardboard into a roughly cylindrical shape corresponding to the shape of the container body 20, and has a curled outer flange portion 33 to which the container flange portion 23 of the container body 20 is attached at the upper opening 32. The outer flange portion 33 is a part that is folded outward in a curled shape around the entire circumference of the upper opening 32, thereby improving the strength of the upper opening 32. In the figures, reference numeral 31 denotes the outer casing, and 35 denotes the bent reinforcement portion formed at the lower opening 34.

[0025] The materials constituting the outer casing 30 include known paper-like sheets such as thick cardboard, paper, and paper-based materials mainly composed of food fibers. The thickness of the outer casing 30 is appropriately selected according to the application, taking into account factors such as strength, specific heat of paper, and ease of processing. For example, a thickness of about 0.15 to 1.5 mm is suitable for food containers. If the outer casing 30 is too thin, it may lack the rigidity to maintain the container shape, and if it is too thick, it may have reduced ease of processing.

[0026] The outer casing 30 is made of paper, which is preferable from the viewpoint of reducing environmental impact, and it also has excellent heat resistance. By constructing the outer casing 30 from 100% paper raw materials, it is possible to contribute to reducing environmental impact, while at the same time, it is possible to enhance the functionality as a container by providing water resistance, water repellency, heat resistance, oil resistance, etc. In particular, by applying a water-repellent treatment with a water-repellent agent or the like to give the outer casing 30 water resistance and water repellency, softening due to condensation and moisture absorption can be suppressed, and the rigidity and shape of the combined container 10 can be effectively maintained. Furthermore, the outer casing 30 may be provided with a functional resin layer or functional resin film such as polyethylene resin, polystyrene resin, polypropylene resin, or polyester resin on one or both sides as needed.

[0027] The outer casing 30 can be manufactured by known methods for manufacturing paper containers, etc. The manufacturing process for the outer casing 30 includes, for example, the steps of: bending a strip or fan-shaped piece of cardboard into a ring shape and overlapping and joining both ends to form a cylindrical shape; folding the entire circumference of the upper edge of the cylindrical body outwards in a curled manner to form an outer flange portion 33; and folding the entire circumference of the lower edge of the cylindrical shape inwards and bringing it into close contact with the inner circumferential surface to form a bent reinforcement portion 35. By such a manufacturing method, the outer casing 30 can be manufactured inexpensively and simply.

[0028] The outer casing 30 may, if necessary, be decorated or display appropriate information such as product information on its outer surface. Since the outer casing 30 is made of paper, this information can be easily processed by printing, attaching film or stickers, etc. Examples of information that can be displayed include text information such as the type of contents, raw materials, cooking method, precautions, product name, manufacturer, and seller; symbolic information such as the product's barcode; and decorative information such as patterns and photographs related to the product. Displaying this information enhances the appearance, product value, and customer appeal of the combination container 10.

[0029] In the combined container 10 of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, a fastening portion 41 and a circumferential portion 42 are formed on the container flange portion 23. The fastening portion 41 is a part of the container flange portion 23 that is tightly fastened to the outer surface of the outer flange portion 33. As shown in Figure 3(a), this fastening portion 41 is tightly fastened from the upper side to the lower side of the curled outer surface of the outer flange portion 33, and is formed in a curled shape corresponding to the portion in contact with the outer flange portion 33. That is, the fastening portion 41 fastens and holds the outer flange portion 33 by wrapping it from the upper side to the lower side.

[0030] The fastening portion 41 fastens and holds the outer flange portion 33, thereby joining the container body 20 and the outer casing 30 without the use of adhesives or the like. Therefore, by releasing the connection between the fastening portion 41 (container flange portion 23) and the outer flange portion 33, the container body 20 and the outer casing 30 can be easily separated, making sorting and recycling easier. Furthermore, since no adhesives or the like are used to join the container body 20 and the outer casing 30, the deterioration of the quality of both materials as plastic and paper resources is suppressed, making them easier to utilize as recyclable resources and reducing the environmental burden.

[0031] The circumferential portion 42 is the portion of the container flange portion 23 that extends from the fastening portion 41 (see Figure 3(a)), and as shown in Figure 3(b), it becomes the pressure-contacted circumferential portion 45 when the mounting of the outer casing 30 is complete. The pressure-contacted circumferential portion 45 (circumferential portion 42) is formed by folding back the circumferential portion 42 on the lower side of the outer flange portion 33 of the outer casing 30 mounted on the container body 20, after the outer flange portion 33 is fastened and held by the fastening portion 41, and then pressing it against the outer surface of the fastening portion 41 via the folded portion 43 formed by folding back the circumferential portion 42.

[0032] In the container flange portion 23, the position of the folded portion 43 corresponds to the range in which the tightening portion 41 supports the lower surface side of the outer flange portion 33. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3(b), it is preferable that the folded portion 43 be formed on the outer body side surface 31a side from position P2, which is 45° above the vertical position P1 of the center of the outer flange portion 33. By forming the folded portion 43 on the outer body side surface 31a side from position P2, the tightening portion 41 can support the lower surface side of the outer flange portion 33, and the outer flange portion 33, which is held in place by the tightening portion 41, becomes less likely to fall off during normal operation. In particular, by positioning the folded portion 43 on the outer body side surface 31a side from position P1 as shown in the figure, the tightening portion 41 can support the lower surface side of the outer flange portion 33 over a wider area, and the coupling strength during normal operation is further improved.

[0033] Furthermore, if the folded portion 43 is located on the side surface 31a of the outer casing from position P1, the position of the folded portion 43 may reach the side surface 31a of the outer casing. However, it is preferable to position it within a range R of approximately 45° from the vertical position P1 toward the side surface 31a of the outer casing, along the lower surface of the outer flange portion 33, thereby maintaining a suitable distance from the side surface 31a of the outer casing. By maintaining a suitable distance from the side surface 31a of the outer casing, the connection between the fastening portion 41 and the outer flange portion 33 can be easily released manually, facilitating the separation (sorting) of the container body 20 and the outer casing 30, and facilitating recycling.

[0034] The pressure-welded circumferential portion 45 forms a folded structure of the sheet body by the folded portion 43 and a double structure that overlaps with the fastening portion 41 below the fastening portion 41. This folded structure and double structure constitute a reinforcing portion that improves the strength of the fastening portion 41. Furthermore, since the pressure-welded circumferential portion 45 is pressed against the outer surface of the fastening portion 41, it is possible to suppress the formation of unnecessary protrusions on the outer surface of the container flange portion 23. Therefore, even when a user puts their mouth to the container flange portion 23, the user experience is not worsened by contact with unnecessary protrusions, etc., resulting in a pleasant mouthfeel and comfortable use.

[0035] In the pressure-welded circumferential portion 45, as shown in Figure 3(b), it is preferable that its tip 45a is positioned at or above a position P2 at a 45° angle above the vertical position P1 of the center of the exterior flange portion 33. By positioning the tip 45a of the pressure-welded circumferential portion 45 at or above the above position P2, a double structure is provided over a wide area on the lower side of the exterior flange portion 33, thereby more effectively reinforcing the fastening portion 41. Furthermore, while there is no particular upper limit to the tip 45a of the pressure-welded circumferential portion 45 as long as it is above the above position P2, it is preferable to limit it to approximately the horizontal position H of the center of the exterior flange portion 33 from the viewpoint of comfortable use, such as a pleasant mouthfeel.

[0036] In the combined container 10 of the present invention, when the outer casing 30 is attached to the container body 20 as described above, a space S1 that acts as an insulating space may be formed between the container body 21 of the container body 20 and the outer casing 31 of the outer casing 30 as needed, as shown in Figure 1. The insulating space S1 prevents the heat of relatively high-temperature contents from being directly transferred to the user, or prevents the heat of the user from being directly transferred to relatively low-temperature contents, thereby mitigating the effect of heat conduction on the contents.

[0037] Furthermore, in the combined container 10, the container body 20 may be suspended and held such that a space S2 acting as an insulating space is formed between the container bottom 24 and the floor F by the connection of the container flange portion 23 and the outer flange portion 33. In this case, it is preferable to form a bent reinforcement portion 35 at the lower opening 34 of the outer body 30. The bent reinforcement portion 35 is a portion that is bent inward around the entire circumference of the lower opening 34 and overlapped with the inner surface. The bent reinforcement portion 35 improves the strength of the lower opening 34, so that it can be configured as a leg portion that becomes the ground contact portion of the combined container 10, and the container body 20 can be properly suspended and held.

[0038] In this combined container 10, where the container body 20 is suspended and held, the outer casing 30 can support the container 10 independently by the bending reinforcement portion 35, thus maintaining the orientation of the combined container 10 regardless of the state of the container body 20. Therefore, the container body 20 only needs to have the minimum necessary rigidity to accommodate the contents, making it possible to reduce the amount of resin material used, such as by reducing the thickness of the container body 20. Thus, it is possible to reduce the amount of resin material used without compromising the practicality of the container, thereby contributing to reducing the environmental burden.

[0039] Figure 4 shows a combination container 10A with a lid 50 attached. The illustrated lid 50 is an internally fitted type lid that fits onto the inner circumference 22b near the opening 22 of the container body 20. The lid 50 is made of a resin material, similar to the container body, and has a hanging portion 51 that fits into the opening 22 of the container body 20, and a fitting projection 55 that fits into a fitting recess 25 provided on the container body 20. In this way, by attaching the fitting-type lid 50 to the combination container 10A, the opening 22 of the container body 20 can be properly sealed, and the lid 50 is easy to attach and detach, making it very convenient.

[0040] Next, the manufacturing method of the combined container 10 will be described. First, a predetermined container shape is formed from a synthetic resin sheet by a molding method such as vacuum forming or pressure forming to form the container body of the container, and a curled edge portion (see reference numeral 22a in Figure 3(a)) is formed which extends outward in a curled shape from the opening.

[0041] Next, as shown in Figure 3(a), the outer bag 30 is attached to the container body 20 by engaging the pre-formed curled outer flange portion 33 of the outer body 30 with the curled edge portion 22a of the container body 20. Then, while the outer flange portion 33 is engaged with the curled edge portion 22a, the curled edge portion 22a is bent, thereby forming the pressure-welded circumferential portion 45 via the folded portion 43, as shown in Figure 3(b).

[0042] At this time, the exterior flange portion 33 is in a state where it supports the curled edge portion 22a from the inner side, and thus acts as a core material when the curled edge portion 22a is shaped. Therefore, the curled edge portion 22a is tightened by bending to fit closely along the outer surface of the exterior flange portion 33 of the exterior body 30 as a tightening portion 41 (see Figure 3(a)), and further, the circumferential portion 42 that did not fit closely to the exterior flange portion 33 is folded back via the folded portion 43 and pressed against the outer surface of the tightening portion 41 to form a pressed circumferential portion 45 (see Figure 3(b)). In other words, the tightening portion 41 is tightened by bending to fit closely to the outer surface of the curled exterior flange portion 33 which acts as a core material, and the circumferential portion 42 is folded back at the folded portion 43 on the lower side of the exterior flange portion 33 and pressed against the outer surface of the tightening portion 41 to form a pressed circumferential portion 45.

[0043] In this way, by performing the bending process with the curled edge portion 22a and the outer flange portion 33 engaged, the joining process of the container body 20 and the outer casing 30, as well as the outer surface treatment of the container flange portion 23, are performed in one go, improving work efficiency and resulting in superior production efficiency.

[0044] It should be noted that the combined container of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented by appropriately modifying a part of its configuration without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although a space is provided between the container body and the outer casing in the illustrated example, the container body may be formed from an insulating material and the container body and the outer casing may be brought into close contact and joined together. [Industrial applicability]

[0045] The combination container of the present invention reduces the amount of synthetic resin used, prevents a decrease in container rigidity by using a paper outer casing, and is also suitable for use from the viewpoint of reducing environmental impact because it does not use adhesives. Furthermore, after the outer flange portion of the outer casing attached to the container body is fastened and held by the fastening portion of the container body, the circumferential portion is pressed against the outer surface of the fastening portion via a folded portion formed by folding back the circumferential portion. As a result, the strength of the fastening portion is further improved compared to conventional methods, the outer flange portion is firmly fastened and held, and the container body and outer casing can be more stably integrated and held. Moreover, while the container body and outer casing are stably integrated during normal use, when it comes time to dispose of the container, the combination of the outer bag and the container body can be reliably and easily released because no adhesive is used. Furthermore, unnecessary protrusions on the outer surface of the container flange portion are eliminated, resulting in a better mouthfeel and improved usability. For this reason, it is a promising alternative to conventional combination containers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10,10A Combination container 20 Container body 21 Container body 22 Opening 22a Curled edge 22b Inner circumference 23 Container flange section 24 Bottom of container 25 Fitting recess 30 Exterior 31 Outer hull 31a Exterior body side 32 Top opening 33 Exterior flange section 34 Lower opening 35 Bending reinforcement section 41. Fastening section 42 Peripheral section 43 Turning section 45 Pressure-welded circumferential portion 50 Lid 51 Drooping part 55 Fitting protrusion F Floor H Horizontal position of the center of the exterior flange P1 Vertical position of the center of the exterior flange section P2 is located 45° above the vertical position of the exterior flange. R range of the folded portion S1,S2 space

Claims

1. A container body made of synthetic resin having a container flange portion at the opening, The container body comprises a paper outer casing positioned on the outer circumference of the container body and having a curled outer flange portion at its upper opening, the container flange portion of the container body being attached to the outer casing. The container flange portion has a fastening portion that is tightly fastened to the outer surface of the outer flange portion and a circumferential portion that extends from the fastening portion. The aforementioned circumferential portion is a pressure-contact circumferential portion that is pressed against the outer surface of the fastening portion via a folded portion formed by folding the circumferential portion back on the lower side of the exterior flange portion. A combination container characterized by the following features.

2. The combination container according to claim 1, wherein the folded portion of the container flange is formed on the outer surface side (31a) side from a position (P2) 45° above the vertical position (P1) of the center of the outer flange.

3. The combination container according to claim 2, wherein the tip portion (45a) of the pressure-welded circumferential portion of the container flange portion is positioned at a position (P2) or higher at an angle of 45° above the vertical position (P1) of the center of the outer flange portion.

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