Pleat Seal Steam Release for Bacterial Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing containers for cooked food, such as those described in Patent Literature 1, have a pleat part formed by overlapping multilayer films, where the exposed ends of the films pose a high risk of bacterial intrusion due to steam removal mechanisms, leading to potential contamination.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a main body with a flange part and a lid joined via an outer edge seal, where the lid has a pleat part with a pleat seal portion and a steam passing portion, including a through hole or cutout, with a lower seal strength than the outer edge seal, to prevent bacterial intrusion and facilitate steam release without compromising hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a steam removal mechanism with a through hole is formed in the pleat part of the lid, then steam can be effectively released from the container, but the exposed ends of the multilayer films at the tip of the pleat part create a high risk of bacterial intrusion into the container
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming the through hole in the conventional pleat part structure where film ends are exposed, the invention inverts the approach by creating the steam passing portion in the sealed pleat seal portion. The lid member is folded back to form overlapping portions that are then sealed together, and the through hole is formed in this sealed structure. This inversion eliminates exposed film ends while maintaining steam release functionality, thereby preventing bacterial intrusion through the pleat part tip.
2Stress or pressure
If the seal strength of the pleat seal portion is made lower than that of the outer edge seal portion, then the pleat seal portion can peel off to release steam pressure, but this may compromise the sealing integrity of the container
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a deliberate seal strength gradient within the sealing structure. The pleat seal portion is designed with lower seal strength than the outer edge seal portion, allowing it to act as a pressure relief mechanism. This is achieved through controlled folding and sealing of the lid member, where the pleat seal portion's structure inherently provides weaker adhesion. The through hole in the pleat seal portion further ensures that steam pressure can be released through this specific low-strength region without compromising the overall sealing integrity maintained by the stronger outer edge seal.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The container effectively suppresses bacterial intrusion and ensures efficient steam release by maintaining lower seal strength at the pleat seal portion, preventing peeling of the outer edge seal and reducing the risk of content leakage during heating.
Implementation Method 1
a pleat seal portion in which inner surfaces of the portions of the lid member are joined together
Implementation Method 2
a steam passing portion that includes a through hole or a cutout in the pleat seal portion
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a container that makes it possible to suppress intrusion of bacteria from the tip of a pleat part into the inside of the container. The container includes: a main body that includes a body part defining a containing portion and a flange part extending outward from an upper portion of the body part; and a lid that is joined to the flange part of the main body via an outer edge seal portion so as to cover the containing portion, the lid being formed by a lid member folded back at a fold-back portion such that portions of the lid member overlap each other. The lid has: a pleat part that includes the portions of the lid member overlapping each other and that extends from an edge of one side to an edge of the other side of the lid in a first direction; and a first lid part and a second lid part that are formed by the lid member and that are arranged on opposite sides of the pleat part. The pleat part includes: a pleat seal portion in which inner surfaces of the portions of the lid member are joined together and that extends from the edge of the one side to the edge of the other side of the lid in the first direction; and a steam passing portion that includes a through hole or a cutout formed in the pleat seal portion. Seal strength of the pleat seal portion is lower than that of the outer edge seal portion.