Method for manufacturing a reusable container having service-life indicator

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a service life indicator, and more specifically, to a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a service life indicator that visually displays the degree of wear resulting from repeated use, thereby allowing the replacement time to be intuitively and easily checked. In addition, the method is characterized by including a body forming step of forming a container body with an insertion portion formed to a predetermined depth on the surface through injection molding, a display portion forming step of forming a lifespan display portion of a different color from the container body on the insertion portion of the container body, and a wear portion forming step of forming a wear portion of an opaque material on the insertion portion to cover the lifespan display portion so that the lifespan display portion is not exposed from the outside. In addition, the container body and the service life indicator are formed by injection molding with PP material, and the wear part is formed by overmolding with TPE material.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator, and more specifically, to a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator that visually displays the degree of wear and tear from repeated use, using an environmentally friendly and harmless material. Background Technology

[0003] Recently, various types of reusable containers, such as food packaging, delivery containers, cups, trays, and storage containers, are being distributed as a measure to reduce the use of single-use plastic containers and realize a circular economy.

[0005] Unlike disposable containers that are discarded after a single use, reusable containers can be used repeatedly after undergoing washing, sterilization, and recovery processes, which has the advantage of reducing waste generation and increasing resource circularity.

[0007] In particular, circular services that rent, collect, wash, and resell reusable containers are expanding in food delivery, event venues, public institutions, cafes, and catering facilities.

[0009] Reusable containers may undergo various physical and chemical changes during repeated use, such as surface scratches, discoloration, loss of gloss, microcracks, thermal deformation, surface deterioration caused by detergents, peeling of printed materials, and discoloration by food pigments.

[0011] These changes are not limited to mere cosmetic issues; they can form micro-grooves where contaminants may remain even after washing, cause users to feel uneasy about hygiene, or reduce the durability and marketability of the container.

[0013] In particular, regarding reusable containers that come into direct contact with food, continuing to use containers that have been used more than a certain number of times may not be desirable from a hygiene management perspective. Therefore, the government has established hygiene standard guidelines regarding the manufacturing, handling, and cleaning processes of reusable containers, recommending not only proper manufacturing and cleaning management but also disposal or replacement in the event of contamination or deformation.

[0015] Accordingly, regarding a circular system for reusable containers, such as Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0138042 "Recovery System Enabling Circularity of Reusable Containers," technology has been developed to integrate IT technology into reusable containers and manage the flow of recovery and reuse; however, while this method is useful for systematically managing a large number of containers, it had the problem of requiring electronic recognition devices, servers, readers, applications, or a separate data management environment.

[0016] Furthermore, there was a problem in that it was difficult to objectively and intuitively determine the lifespan or replacement timing of reusable containers, as the system managed recovery history or circulation status through a separate information system rather than a structure that directly showed users or managers the actual surface wear condition of individual containers or the degree of physical deterioration due to cleaning.

[0018] In addition, considering the characteristics of reusable containers primarily used for food, there is a need for them to be manufactured from materials that are eco-friendly and harmless to the human body. Prior art literature

[0020] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0138042 "Recovery system enabling virtuous cycle of recovery containers" The problem to be solved

[0021] The objective of the present invention is to solve the problems described above and to provide a method for manufacturing a reusable container formed with a lifespan indicator, which allows for intuitive determination of the degree of wear due to repeated use, the remaining lifespan, or the replacement time, using an environmentally friendly and harmless material. means of solving the problem

[0023] To achieve the above objective, a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the present invention comprises: a body forming step of forming a container body with an insertion portion formed to a predetermined depth on its surface through injection molding; a display portion forming step of forming a lifespan indicator of a color different from that of the container body in the insertion portion of the container body; and a wear portion forming step of covering the lifespan indicator by forming a wear portion of an opaque material in the insertion portion so that the lifespan indicator is not exposed from the outside.

[0024] In addition, the container body and the service life indicator are formed by injection molding with PP material, and the wear part is formed by overmolding with TPE material.

[0025] Additionally, the method further includes a wear part manufacturing step for manufacturing a wear part between the above-mentioned indicator part forming step and the wear part forming step, wherein the wear part manufacturing step comprises a stirring step for stirring a powder containing at least one of calcium carbonate derived from waste shells and corn starch with a liquid adhesive, and a wear part forming step for manufacturing a wear part by curing the stirred mixture, and wherein the wear part forming step is characterized by covering and fixing the manufactured wear part to the service life indicator part through the adhesive.

[0026] Additionally, the method further includes a wear part manufacturing step for manufacturing a wear part between the above-mentioned marking part forming step and the wear part forming step, wherein the wear part manufacturing step comprises an adhesive application step for applying a liquid adhesive to the upper surface of a release plate, a powder application step for applying a powder containing at least one of calcium carbonate derived from waste shells and corn starch to the applied adhesive, and a wear part forming step for manufacturing a wear part by alternately and repeatedly stacking the adhesive application step and the powder application step, curing, and then separating from the release plate.

[0027] The above-mentioned step of forming the wear part is characterized by covering and fixing the manufactured wear part to the service life indicator part using an adhesive.

[0028] Additionally, the method further includes a wear part manufacturing step for manufacturing a wear part between the above-mentioned indicator part forming step and the wear part forming step, wherein the wear part manufacturing step comprises an adhesive application step for applying a liquid adhesive to the upper surface of a release plate, a powder application step for applying a powder containing at least one of calcium carbonate derived from waste shells and corn starch to the applied adhesive, a wear part forming step for repeatedly stacking the adhesive application step and the powder application step alternately, and a brittleness imparting step for manufacturing a wear part with imparted brittleness by heating the molded wear part and separating it from the release plate, and wherein the wear part forming step is characterized by covering and fixing the service life indicator part with the manufactured wear part using an adhesive.

[0029] In addition, prior to the body forming step, the method further includes a calcium carbonate processing step for producing calcium carbonate derived from waste shells using waste shells, wherein the calcium carbonate processing step comprises a grinding step for grinding washed waste shells into a powder form, a mixing step for preparing a mixture by mixing the ground waste shell powder with a binder, a sheet forming step for spreading the mixture onto a mold plate to a predetermined thickness and forming it into a plate, a heating step for heating the sheet to form a brittle plate body with imparted brittleness, and a particle forming step for crushing the brittle plate body to produce plate-shaped brittle particles. Effects of the invention

[0031] As described above, according to the method for manufacturing a reusable container formed with a lifespan indicator of the present invention, the reusable container formed with a lifespan indicator, through which the degree of wear, remaining lifespan, or replacement time of the reusable container can be intuitively determined through the lifespan indicator exposed by repeated use of the reusable container, is manufactured from eco-friendly and harmless materials such as calcium carbonate derived from waste seashells and corn starch, thereby providing the effect of being able to use it with peace of mind. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0033] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating, in sequence, a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed thereon according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the calcium carbonate processing steps in sequence of a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a service life indicator formed thereon according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the manufacturing process of a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed thereon, manufactured by the method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed thereon according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating another embodiment of a container body manufactured through the body molding step of a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a service life indicator formed thereon according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating another embodiment of a container body manufactured through a body molding step of a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed thereon according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating a lifespan indicator and a wear portion disposed in an insertion portion through a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating a lifespan indicator and a wear portion disposed in an insertion portion through another embodiment of a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0034] Specific structural or functional descriptions of embodiments according to the concept of the present invention disclosed herein are provided merely for the purpose of explaining embodiments according to the concept of the present invention, and embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may be implemented in various forms and are not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0035] Embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may be subject to various modifications and may take various forms; therefore, embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in this specification. However, this is not intended to limit the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention to specific disclosed forms, and includes all modifications, equivalents, or substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0037] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating, in sequence, a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating, in sequence, a calcium carbonate processing step of the method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating the manufacturing process of a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating another embodiment of a container body manufactured through a body molding step of the method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the present invention; FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating yet another embodiment of a container body manufactured through a body molding step of the method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the present invention; FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating a lifespan indicator and a wear part disposed in an insertion part through the method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the present invention; FIG. 7 is a drawing disposed in an insertion part through yet another embodiment of the method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed according to the present invention This is a drawing illustrating the service life indicator and the wear section.

[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates a method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed thereon according to the present invention in sequence. Referring to FIG. 3, the method comprises a body molding step (S1) of molding a container body (1) having an insertion part (2) formed at a predetermined depth on its surface through injection molding, a display part forming step (S2) of forming a lifespan indicator (3) of a different color from the container body (1) on the insertion part (2) of the container body (1), and a wear part forming step (S4) of forming a wear part (see 4 in FIG. 6) of an opaque material on the insertion part (2) to cover the lifespan indicator (3) so that the lifespan indicator (3) is not exposed from the outside.

[0043] Additionally, the container body (1) and the lifespan indicator (3) may be injection-molded from PP material, and the wear portion (4) may be formed from TPE material by an overmolding method.

[0045] Additionally, the method may be further implemented to include a wear part manufacturing step (S3) in which the wear part is manufactured first between the above-mentioned display part forming step (S2) and the wear part forming step (S4).

[0047] At this time, the above-mentioned wear part manufacturing step (S3) comprises a stirring step of stirring a powder containing at least one of calcium carbonate derived from waste shells and corn starch with a liquid adhesive (binder), and a wear part molding step of curing the stirred mixture to manufacture the wear part.

[0049] In this way, when the wear part is manufactured separately, the wear part forming step (S4) fixes the manufactured wear part to cover the service life indicator part (3) using an adhesive.

[0051] In another embodiment, the wear part manufacturing step (S3), which manufactures the wear part first between the display part forming step (S2) and the wear part forming step (S4), may be configured to include an adhesive application step of applying a liquid adhesive to the upper surface of a mold plate, a powder application step of applying a powder containing at least one of calcium carbonate derived from waste shells and corn starch to the applied adhesive to form a single layer, and a wear part molding step of manufacturing the wear part by alternately stacking the adhesive application step and the powder application step to form a plurality of layers, curing them, and then separating them from the mold plate.

[0053] In this way, when the wear part is manufactured separately, the wear part forming step (S4) fixes the manufactured wear part to cover the service life indicator part (3) using an adhesive.

[0055] As another embodiment, the wear part manufacturing step (S3), which manufactures the wear part first between the display part forming step (S2) and the wear part forming step (S4), may be configured to include an adhesive application step of applying a liquid adhesive to the upper surface of a mold plate, a powder application step of applying a powder containing at least one of calcium carbonate derived from waste shells and corn starch to the applied adhesive to form a single layer, a wear part forming step of forming a wear part composed of multiple layers by alternately stacking the adhesive application step and the powder application step, and then a brittleness imparting step of manufacturing a wear part with imparted brittleness by heating the formed wear part and separating it from the mold plate.

[0057] The wear part manufactured in this manner is fixed using an adhesive to cover the service life indicator part (3) through the wear part forming step (S4).

[0059] The calcium carbonate derived from waste shells described above is manufactured and used through a calcium carbonate processing step in which calcium carbonate derived from waste shells is produced using waste shells prior to the body molding step (S1).

[0061] More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the calcium carbonate processing step comprises a crushing step (S11) for crushing washed waste shells into a powder form, a mixing step (S12) for mixing the crushed waste shell powder with a binder to produce a mixture, a sheet forming step (S13) for spreading the mixture onto a mold plate to a predetermined thickness and forming it into a plate, a heating step (S14) for heating the sheet to form a brittle plate body with imparted brittleness, and a particle forming step (S15) for crushing the brittle plate body to produce plate-shaped brittle particles.

[0063] In this way, by manufacturing the wear portion using plate-shaped brittle particles formed as the brittle plate body is crushed, the plate-shaped brittle particles of each layer are arranged in a parallel form in response to horizontal friction of the container that occurs during the use of the container, so that wear proceeds easily due to friction, and when a crack is formed due to thermal shock or deformation of the container, it can be easily visually identified.

[0065] A reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed by a method according to the various embodiments described above is configured to include a container body (1) for loading food, an insertion part (2) formed at a predetermined depth on the surface of the container body (1), a lifespan indicator (3) placed in the insertion part (2) with a color different from that of the container body (1), and a wear part (not shown, see FIG. 6) that exposes the lifespan indicator (3) as it wears down with repeated use, using an opaque material that covers the lifespan indicator (3). FIG. 3 illustrates a state in which the lifespan indicator (3) is completely exposed when the wear part is worn down.

[0067] That is, the lifespan indicator (3) formed on the bottom surface of the container body (1) is covered by an opaque wear area and cannot be visually confirmed from the outside.

[0069] The above container body (1) performs the function of maintaining structural strength and shape, and the wear part (4) performs the function of covering the service life indicator (3), so that even if the wear part (4) is removed, the structural strength or service function of the container body (1) can be maintained.

[0071] The above-mentioned wear portion (4) may be formed to gradually dissolve in addition to gradually wearing away through a repeated washing process.

[0073] Through this, as the reusable container is used repeatedly, the wear portion gradually wears down during friction or cleaning processes during use, and the lifespan indicator (3) is gradually visually exposed, and the user determines the degree of wear based on the area where the lifespan indicator (3) is exposed.

[0075] For example, if the lifespan indicator (3) is visually confirmed in an area ranging from 30% to 70% of the total area of ​​the insertion part (2), it can be determined that replacement is recommended, and if the lifespan indicator (3) is visually confirmed in an area exceeding 70%, it can be determined that immediate replacement is necessary.

[0077] Alternatively, the above-mentioned lifespan indicator (3) may be configured with a double-layer structure of different colors, so that when the surface layer of the lifespan indicator (3) is worn out and the color of the inner layer is visually exposed, it may be determined that immediate replacement is required.

[0079] In another embodiment, it may be formed with a three-stage color structure of green, yellow, and red, which can be sequentially exposed according to the progress of the service life. Additionally, it may be formed to include letters, numbers, symbols, icons, logos, barcodes, or QR codes, and may provide information to guide replacement or disposal when worn beyond a certain level.

[0081] The above-mentioned wear portion (4) is formed to be gradually removed from the surface layer when repeatedly exposed to washing water, a cleaning agent, sterilizing water, or high-temperature steam, and can be configured so that the service life indicator (3) is exposed after a predetermined number of washing cycles, depending on the thickness, hardness, porosity, composition ratio, or external exposure area of ​​the wear portion (4).

[0083] For example, the above-mentioned wear portion (4) may be formed so that a part of the service life indicator (3) is exposed after about 100 to 300 washes, and may be formed so that most of the service life indicator (3) is exposed when about 500 or more washes are performed.

[0085] Therefore, the user can intuitively check the accumulated number of washes or the remaining lifespan through the exposure level of the lifespan display (3) without a separate electronic device or management system.

[0087] In addition, the above container body (1) is illustrated in the form of a bowl as an example, but can be implemented in various forms such as a beverage container, a food tray, or a square container.

[0089] However, for intuitiveness and improved visibility, it is most preferable that the above-mentioned lifespan indicator (3) be implemented in the form of an orange circular ring.

[0091] Additionally, a surface structure consisting of a fine protrusion pattern, an uneven pattern, a rib pattern, a grid pattern, a groove pattern, or a combination thereof may be formed on the upper part of the insertion part (2) or on the exposed surface of the wear part (4).

[0092] The above surface structure can be formed to increase or decrease the wear rate of a specific area by adjusting the contact area with a cleaning brush or cleaning water.

[0093] For example, the area where the micro-protrusion pattern is formed can be formed to wear down relatively quickly, while the flat area can be formed to wear down relatively slowly.

[0095] In addition, the insertion part (2) into which the above-mentioned lifespan indicator (3) and wear part are inserted may be arranged in an intaglio form on a bottom surface having a plurality of dot or geometric protrusions formed thereon, in addition to a ring-shaped structure, or may be implemented in a ring shape divided at regular intervals (hereinafter, segmented) as shown in FIG. 4, or may be implemented in a segmented form at different intervals, or may be implemented in a form in which the insertion part (3) is segmented by a plurality of ribs as shown in FIG. 5.

[0096] That is, the lifespan indicator (3) and the wear part can be inserted into multiple insertion parts (3) and arranged in such a way.

[0098] The ribs can be arranged radially, and the height, width, or spacing of the ribs can be formed differently depending on the center and the outer edge.

[0100] In this way, depending on the shape or rib arrangement in which the insertion part is formed, a specific area may be induced to wear out preferentially during the cleaning process, and the lifespan indicator (3) may be configured to be exposed step by step starting from the specific area.

[0102] In one embodiment, the wear portion in the narrowly segmented insert (2) has a smaller surface area exposed than the widely segmented insert (2), so that it does not wear out easily during cleaning or use. As a result, the lifespan indicator (3) is observed first in the widely segmented insert (2), and the lifespan indicator (3) is exposed in the narrowly segmented insert (2) after a longer period of use, so the replacement timing can be determined for each segmented insert (2).

[0104] For example, the wear portion of the insert part (2), which is segmented at wide intervals and has a large surface area exposed to the outside, can be determined to be a recommended replacement time when the lifespan indicator (3) at the corresponding location begins to be exposed after about 300 uses and cleanings, and the wear portion of the insert part (2), which is segmented at narrow intervals and has a relatively small surface area exposed to the outside, can be implemented in such a way that the lifespan indicator (3) begins to be exposed after about 500 uses and cleanings. Through this, when the lifespan indicator (3) of the insert part (2), which has a small surface area, becomes exposed, it is determined to be a time when immediate replacement is required.

[0106] Alternatively, the lifespan indicator (3) and the wear portion (4) may be positioned along the outer edge rather than the center of the bottom surface of the container body (1), and the outer edge may be formed as an area that comes into preferential contact with external objects during the loading, transport, retrieval, and cleaning processes of the reusable container.

[0108] Accordingly, the wear portion (4) positioned on the outer part can be formed to wear out preferentially compared to other areas of the container body (1), and the lifespan indicator (3) can be more clearly exposed.

[0110] Additionally, the outer area where the wear portion (4) is placed may be formed to protrude a predetermined height from the bottom surface of the container body (1).

[0111] The above protrusion height can be formed in the range of 0.1 mm to 3 mm, and preferably in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.

[0112] Accordingly, contact with a cleaning brush or an external object may occur preferentially to promote selective wear of the wear part (4).

[0114] The width of the outer ring on which the above-mentioned service life indicator (3) and wear portion (4) are formed can be formed in the range of 1 mm to 20 mm, and preferably in the range of 3 mm to 8 mm.

[0115] The above ring width can be set considering the visibility and wear characteristics of the service life indicator (3), and as the width increases, the recognition of the display can be improved.

[0117] Additionally, the wear portion (4) formed in each insert portion (2) may be formed to have different exposed areas, thicknesses, or surface shapes.

[0119] In this way, by designing multiple inserts (2) to have different wear rates, not only simple usage but also the progression of service life can be distinguished and indicated in multiple stages.

[0121] The wear rate of the above-mentioned wear portion (4) can be controlled by the thickness of the wear portion (4).

[0122] The thickness of the above-mentioned wear portion (4) can be formed in the range of 0.01 mm to 5 mm, and preferably in the range of 0.05 mm to 2 mm.

[0123] For example, when having a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm, the lifespan indicator (3) may be formed to be exposed after about 50 to 150 washes, and when having a thickness of 0.2 mm to 1 mm, the lifespan indicator (3) may be formed to be exposed after about 200 to 500 washes.

[0124] Therefore, by changing the thickness of the wear portion (4), a replacement time corresponding to the target service life of the container can be set.

[0126] In addition, the above-mentioned wear portion (4) can be formed to have different hardnesses.

[0127] The lower the hardness, the faster it wears out due to the cleaning brush or cleaning water, and the higher the hardness, the slower it wears out relatively; the exposure time of the area-specific lifespan indicator (3) can also be precisely controlled by adjusting the hardness.

[0129] In addition, the above-mentioned wear portion (4) can be formed to have different porosity.

[0130] The above porosity can be set in the range of 1% to 80%, and as the porosity increases, the penetration of the cleaning solution becomes easier, and the rate of wear or dissolution increases.

[0131] The above-mentioned wear portion (4) may be formed to include water-soluble sacrificial particles along with calcium carbonate powder, starch, cellulose, wood flour, chitosan, or biodegradable resin.

[0132] The above water-soluble sacrificial particles may be formed from salt, sugar, glucose, dextrin, starch particles, or a mixture thereof, and micropores may be formed inside as the water-soluble sacrificial particles dissolve after the manufacture of the wear part (4) or during repeated washing processes.

[0133] For example, the wear portion (4) of the first region may be formed to have a relatively high porosity by including 20% ​​to 50% by weight of water-soluble sacrificial particles, and the wear portion (4) of the second region may be formed to have a relatively low porosity by including 1% to 10% by weight of water-soluble sacrificial particles.

[0134] Accordingly, the first region may be worn down or dissolved relatively quickly due to easy penetration of washing water or cleaning agent, while the second region may be worn down or dissolved relatively slowly.

[0136] Additionally, the above-mentioned wear portion (4) may be formed to include powder having different particle sizes. For example, a region containing powder with an average particle size of 100 μm to 1000 μm may form a relatively high porosity, and a region containing powder with an average particle size of 1 μm to 50 μm may form a relatively low porosity.

[0138] In another embodiment, the wear portion (4) may be formed to include a foaming agent and may form different porosities depending on the content of the foaming agent. For example, a region formed including sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, or a food-grade foaming agent may form a relatively high porosity.

[0139] Accordingly, the above-mentioned wear portion (4) can form different porosities based on the content of water-soluble sacrificial particles, the particle size of the powder, the content of the foaming agent, or a combination thereof, and accordingly, the wear rate by region can be differentially controlled so that the service life indicator portion (3) is sequentially exposed.

[0141] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 6, at least one locking projection (5) protruding inward is formed in the insertion part (2) having a predetermined depth formed on the bottom surface of the container body (1), so that the lifespan indicator (3) is fixed by being hooked onto the locking projection (5) while being received in the insertion part (2).

[0143] In addition, the above-mentioned wear part (4) may be composed of a synthetic resin series such as TPE or PP, or may be made of a single structure including at least one of a natural material or compound such as calcium carbonate powder obtained by crushing waste shells, corn starch, or starch, or may be made of a structure that is repeatedly stacked in the form of multiple layers as shown in FIG. 5.

[0145] In this case, when having a structure repeatedly laminated in the form of multiple wear layers, it is desirable to have a multi-layer laminated structure using an edible adhesive.

[0147] The above-mentioned wear portion (4) may be formed in a structure in which a plurality of wear layers having different physical properties are stacked.

[0148] The above plurality of wear layers may be formed of the same material, but may be formed to have different thicknesses, hardnesses, porosities, composition ratios, or colors.

[0149] For example, a first wear layer positioned on the outermost side may be formed to have relatively low hardness and high porosity so as to be preferentially removed during a repetitive washing process, and a second wear layer positioned underneath it may be formed to have relatively high hardness and low porosity so as to be worn after the first wear layer is removed.

[0150] In addition, the first wear layer may be formed to have a thickness of 0.01 mm to 0.3 mm, the second wear layer to have a thickness of 0.05 mm to 1 mm, and the third wear layer to have a thickness of 0.1 mm to 2 mm.

[0151] Accordingly, as repeated washing proceeds, the first wear layer, the second wear layer, and the third wear layer can be formed to be removed sequentially.

[0152] In addition, each of the above wear layers may have different composition ratios.

[0153] For example, the first wear layer may be formed to contain 20% to 50% by weight of water-soluble sacrificial particles and have a relatively high porosity, the second wear layer may be formed to contain 5% to 20% by weight of water-soluble sacrificial particles, and the third wear layer may be formed to contain 0% to 5% by weight of water-soluble sacrificial particles.

[0154] Accordingly, it can be formed so that the upper layers are removed faster, and the lower layers are removed relatively slower.

[0156] In addition, the plurality of wear layers may be formed in different colors.

[0157] For example, the first wear layer can be formed in white, the second wear layer in yellow, and the third wear layer in red, and as each layer is removed, different colors are exposed to the outside to indicate the degree of service life progression in stages.

[0159] As another embodiment, the plurality of wear layers may be formed to have different porosities.

[0160] For example, the first wear layer may be formed to have a porosity of 40% to 80%, the second wear layer may be formed to have a porosity of 10% to 40%, and the third wear layer may be formed to have a porosity of 1% to 10%.

[0161] Accordingly, the wear rate can be varied in stages as the washing water or cleaning agent penetrates easily into the upper layer and penetrates relatively slowly into the lower layer.

[0162] Additionally, the above-mentioned stacked structure may be formed to cover the entire upper portion of the lifespan indicator (3), or it may be formed independently on each of the plurality of insertion portions (2).

[0163] Therefore, through the stacked structure of the wear part (4), step-by-step lifespan indicators corresponding to the number of washes, replacement recommendation indicators, and disposal time indicators can be implemented.

[0165] In another embodiment, the wear portion (4) may include a material that gradually dissolves or decomposes upon contact with a cleaning solution.

[0166] The above-mentioned wear portion (4) may include a water-soluble polymer, a starch-based resin, a cellulose-based material, a dextrin-based material, or a mixture thereof, and may be gradually removed by reacting with a surfactant, an alkaline component, or an acidic component included in the cleaning agent during the cleaning process.

[0167] Accordingly, the above-mentioned wear portion (4) can be formed so that it is hardly worn out during normal use, but is selectively removed only when the cleaning process is repeated.

[0168] Therefore, the replacement time of the container can be determined more accurately based on the number of washes rather than the number of actual uses.

[0170] In another embodiment, the wear portion (4) may be formed by coating and covering the lifespan indicator portion (3) with a liquid material containing at least one of synthetic resins such as TPE or PP, or natural materials or compounds such as calcium carbonate powder, corn starch, or starch, and then curing the material.

[0172] In another embodiment, the insert portion may have a stopper protruding inwardly formed, and the lifespan indicator portion (3) may be fixed by being hooked onto the stopper. After placing the wear portion (4) on the upper part of the lifespan indicator portion (3), a liquid material containing at least one of a synthetic resin such as TPE or PP, or a natural material or compound such as calcium carbonate powder, corn starch, or starch may be applied to the upper part of the wear portion (4), and then cured to coat and cover the wear portion (4) together with the lifespan indicator portion (3).

[0174] At this time, it is preferable that the above-mentioned lifespan indicator (3) and wear part (4) be coated and bonded by a transparent edible adhesive to be fixed.

[0176] In another embodiment, the lifespan indicator (3) may be composed of a material having lower hardness than the wear portion (4) or having a predetermined elasticity, and the wear portion (4) may be composed of a brittle material, so that when the shape of the container body (1) is deformed due to thermal shock or thermal deformation caused by excessive heat above a predetermined temperature, a crack is formed in the wear portion (4), and the inner lifespan indicator (3) is immediately exposed.

[0178] Additionally, the above-mentioned lifespan indicator (3) may be formed in a first color, and the above-mentioned wear portion (4) may be formed to completely cover the above-mentioned lifespan indicator (3).

[0179] At this time, exposure occurs gradually over the course of normal service life, whereas in the event of excessive thermal deformation or thermal shock, a sudden crack may form in the wear part (4) and the service life indicator (3) may be immediately exposed.

[0180] Therefore, users can distinguish and determine exposure due to the passage of service life and exposure due to thermal deformation, and can simultaneously check for thermal deformation of the container as well as deterioration of hygiene.

[0182] Additionally, the wear portion (4) can be formed to have different wear characteristics depending on the cleaning method.

[0183] For example, when a brush cleaning method is applied, it can be formed to be gradually removed by friction, and when a high-pressure water cleaning method is applied, it can be formed to be gradually removed by the impact pressure of the cleaning water.

[0184] In addition, when high-temperature cleaning or steam cleaning methods are applied, the material may be formed to have degraded physical properties or increased brittleness due to heat, and when chemical cleaning methods are applied, it may be formed to gradually dissolve due to surfactants, alkaline components, or acidic components contained in the cleaning agent.

[0185] The wear portion (4) may be set differently in thickness, hardness, porosity, material, or composition ratio depending on the cleaning method, and accordingly, the service life indicator (3) may be designed to be exposed at a time corresponding to the target number of cleaning cycles.

[0186] Therefore, it is possible to implement a service life management function that responds to various cleaning systems and recovery / reuse environments while utilizing the same service life display structure.

[0188] In addition, the various embodiments described above may be implemented in a combined form.

[0190] For example, a stopper (5) for fixing a lifespan indicator (3) is formed within the insertion part (2) of the container body (1), and the lifespan indicator (3) is made of a material having a lower hardness than the wear part (4) or having a predetermined elasticity, and the wear part (4) is made of a brittle material, so that when the shape of the container body (1) is deformed due to thermal shock or thermal deformation caused by excessive heat above a predetermined temperature, the stopper (5) formed on the inner side of the insertion part (2) is directly pressed against the wear part (4) along with the deformation of the insertion part (2) to promote the formation of a crack.

[0192] As described above, although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is evident to those skilled in the art that many obvious variations are possible from this description without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be interpreted by the claims described to include examples of such many variations. Explanation of the symbols

[0194] 1 : Container body 2 : Insert part 3: Service life indicator 4: Wear parts 5 : Stopper

Claims

Claim 1 A method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed thereon, characterized by comprising: a body forming step of forming a container body with an insertion portion formed at a predetermined depth on the surface through injection molding; a display portion forming step of forming a lifespan indicator portion with a color different from that of the container body in the insertion portion of the container body; and a wear portion forming step of forming a wear portion of an opaque material in the insertion portion to cover the lifespan indicator portion so that the lifespan indicator portion is not exposed from the outside. Claim 2 A method for manufacturing a reusable container having a lifespan indicator formed thereon, characterized in that, in claim 1, the container body and the lifespan indicator are injection-molded from PP material, and the wear portion is formed from TPE material by an overmolding method. Claim 3 A method for manufacturing a reusable container having a service life indicator formed thereon, wherein, in claim 1, the method further includes a wear part manufacturing step for manufacturing a wear part between the indicator forming step and the wear part forming step, wherein the wear part manufacturing step comprises a stirring step for stirring a powder containing at least one of calcium carbonate derived from waste shells and corn starch with a liquid adhesive; and a wear part forming step for curing the stirred mixture to manufacture a wear part, wherein the wear part forming step is characterized by covering and fixing the service life indicator with the manufactured wear part through the adhesive. Claim 4 A method for manufacturing a reusable container having a service life indicator formed thereon, wherein, in claim 1, the method further includes a wear part manufacturing step for manufacturing a wear part between the indicator forming step and the wear part forming step, wherein the wear part manufacturing step comprises: an adhesive application step of applying a liquid adhesive to the upper surface of a release plate; a powder application step of applying a powder containing at least one of calcium carbonate derived from waste shells and corn starch to the applied adhesive; and a wear part forming step of manufacturing a wear part by alternately stacking the adhesive application step and the powder application step, curing, and then separating from the release plate, wherein the wear part forming step is characterized by covering and fixing the service life indicator with the manufactured wear part through an adhesive. Claim 5 A method for manufacturing a reusable container having a service life indicator formed thereon, wherein, in claim 1, the method further includes a wear part manufacturing step for manufacturing a wear part between the indicator forming step and the wear part forming step, wherein the wear part manufacturing step comprises: an adhesive application step for applying a liquid adhesive to the upper surface of a release plate; a powder application step for applying a powder containing at least one of calcium carbonate derived from waste shells and corn starch to the applied adhesive; a wear part forming step for repeatedly stacking the adhesive application step and the powder application step alternately; and a brittleness imparting step for manufacturing a brittle wear part by heating the molded wear part and separating it from the release plate, wherein the wear part forming step is characterized by covering and fixing the service life indicator with the manufactured wear part through an adhesive. Claim 6 A method for manufacturing a reusable container having a service life indicator formed thereon, wherein, in any one of claims 3 to 5, the method further comprises a calcium carbonate processing step for manufacturing calcium carbonate derived from waste shells using waste shells prior to the body molding step, wherein the calcium carbonate processing step comprises: a grinding step for grinding washed waste shells into a powder form; a mixing step for preparing a mixture by mixing the ground waste shell powder with a binder; a sheet molding step for spreading the mixture onto a mold plate to a predetermined thickness and forming it into a plate shape; a heating step for heating the sheet to form a brittle plate body with imparted brittleness; and a particle forming step for crushing the brittle plate body to produce plate-shaped brittle particles.

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