JP2024159286A - Packaging containers - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To realize a packaging container that can be easily opened and is less likely to be accidentally released from a closed state.
[Solution] A packaging container (1) comprises a container body (20) and a lid (10) that closes the container body. When the outer edge step is placed on an inner peripheral step (26) of the container body, a part of an outer edge step (131) of the lid protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step and is located above a bulging recess (28) in the container body.
[Selection diagram] Figure 9

Description

One aspect of the present invention relates to a packaging container capable of containing food, etc.

In department stores or supermarkets, plastic packaging containers are used to store food items so that the food items can be displayed on shelves for sale, and the packaging containers with the food items stored therein are displayed on the shelves. Examples of such packaging containers are disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

The packaging container of Patent Document 1 has a recess on the periphery of the container body, and a tab that protrudes horizontally and outward from part of the lid. When the lid of this packaging container is closed, the tab is housed in the recess, and the lid is opened by pinching the tab with fingers and pulling it up. In addition, the packaging container of Patent Document 2 has protruding tongues at each of the corners of the container body and the lid. When the lid of this packaging container is closed, part of the tab protruding from the corner of the container body and part of the tab protruding from the corner of the lid overlap, making it easy to pinch each tab individually when opening the lid.

JP 2000-302150 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-264951

The packaging container of Patent Document 1 has a tab that protrudes outward from the container body, so there is a risk that the tab may come into unintentional contact with an object such as clothing while the packaging container is being transported, causing the lid to come off the container body and resulting in the lid being inadvertently released from the closed state due to external force. The packaging container of Patent Document 2 also has a tongue protruding from the corner of the container body and a tongue protruding from the corner of the lid protruding outward except for the overlapping parts, so there is a risk that the lid may be inadvertently released from the closed state due to external force.

One aspect of the present invention aims to realize a packaging container that can be easily opened and is less likely to be accidentally released from the closed state.

The packaging container according to aspect 1 of the present invention is a packaging container comprising a container body and a lid body that closes the container body, the container body having an inner peripheral step that can support the outer edge of the lid body, which is the outer edge of the lid body, from below, and a bulging recess recessed downward for opening the container body by contacting a contact body with the underside of the outer edge of the lid body, the outer edge of the lid body includes an outer edge step that is placed on the inner peripheral step, and a part of the outer edge step protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step and is located above the bulging recess when the outer edge step is placed on the inner peripheral step.

According to the above configuration, when the outer edge step is placed on the inner peripheral step, a part of the outer edge step protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step, so that when the lid is opened, the contact body can easily come into contact with the underside of the part of the outer edge step. In addition, when the outer edge step is placed on the inner peripheral step, the part of the outer edge step protruding outward from the inner peripheral step is located above the bulging recess, so that the outermost edge of the part of the outer edge step is located at least inside the outer edge of the bulging recess. This serves to reduce the part of the outer edge step protruding outward from the inner peripheral step from unintentionally coming into contact with objects such as clothing. As a result, a packaging container can be realized that is easy to open and is unlikely to be inadvertently released from the closed state.

In the packaging container according to aspect 2 of the present invention, in aspect 1, the container body has a flange portion located outside and above the inner peripheral step portion, the bulging recess bulges outward from the flange portion, and at least a portion of the inner surface of the bulging recess is a curved surface that can guide the contact body to the lower surface.

According to the above configuration, since the bulging recess bulges outward from the flange portion, the bulging recess can prevent the part of the outer edge step that protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step from unintentionally contacting an object such as clothing. Furthermore, when the contact body is brought into contact with the underside of the part of the outer edge step during opening, the contact body can be guided to the underside by at least part of the inner surface of the bulging recess, allowing the lid to be opened more smoothly. As a result, a packaging container can be realized that is easier to open and is less likely to be accidentally released from the closed state.

In the packaging container according to aspect 3 of the present invention, in aspect 1 or 2, the container body has a lid locking portion that is located above the inner peripheral step and can lock the outer edge of the lid from above.

According to the above configuration, even if an unintended external force acts on the lid body and it is about to come off inadvertently from the container body, the lid locking portion locks the outer edge of the lid body from above, making it difficult for the lid to come off from the container body. This makes it possible to realize a packaging container that can be opened easily and is even less likely to be accidentally released from the closed state.

In the packaging container according to aspect 4 of the present invention, in any one of aspects 1 to 3, the outer edge of the bulging recess is recessed downward.

With this configuration, the contact body can be easily inserted into the bulging recess from the recessed portion on the lower side of the outer edge of the bulging recess. In turn, the contact body can be easily guided to the underside of the part of the outer edge step that protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step. This makes it possible to realize a packaging container that can be opened even more easily and is less likely to be accidentally released from the closed state.

In the packaging container according to aspect 5 of the present invention, in any one of aspects 1 to 4, the container body has a storage and placement section for placing the contents to be stored, and a peripheral wall section extending upward from the peripheral edge of the storage and placement section, and the storage and placement section has a plurality of first convex sections that protrude upward from the upper surface of the storage and placement section and extend radially from the center of the storage and placement section and are connected to the peripheral wall section, and second convex sections that protrude upward from the upper surface and are connected to each of two adjacent first convex sections, and the bulging recess faces the second convex sections in a plan view.

According to the above configuration, the strength of the container body is improved by the presence of the first convex portion and the second convex portion. In addition, the presence of the first convex portion can reduce deflection of the container body toward the center, and the presence of the second convex portion can reduce deflection of the container body in the circumferential direction. The central direction is the direction from the peripheral portion of the storage and mounting portion toward the center of the storage and mounting portion. The circumferential direction is the direction along the outer shape of the peripheral portion of the storage and mounting portion.

Furthermore, because the bulging recess is located opposite the second convex portion in a plan view, the bulging recess tends to sink slightly locally when the contact body is guided by the bulging recess, making it easier for the contact body to come into contact with the underside of a portion of the outer edge step that protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step. As a result, the strength of the container body is improved, making it less likely to bend, and opening the lid becomes even easier.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize a packaging container that can be easily opened and is less likely to be accidentally released from the closed state.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a packaging container according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the packaging container shown in FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container body provided in the packaging container shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a plan view of the container body shown in FIG. 3 . FIG. 4 is a side view of the container body shown in FIG. 3 . 2 is a plan view of a lid provided on the packaging container shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 7 is a side view of the lid shown in FIG. 6 . 4 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the outer edge of the lid and the periphery of the inner peripheral step in the closed state. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the state around the bulging recess when the lid is open. FIG.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figs. 1 to 9. In this embodiment, a packaging container according to one aspect of the present invention will be described as a packaging container that contains food (foodstuffs) as the contained object and that includes a lid and a container body. Examples of food include pizza, okonomiyaki, and assorted side dishes (e.g., a party platter of fried chicken, potatoes, etc.), but the contained object that the packaging container according to one aspect of the present invention can contain is not limited to food.

In this specification, "horizontal" and "vertical (perpendicular)" are defined based on the case where the packaging container is placed on a horizontal surface so that the storage and placement portion of the container body, i.e., the bottom of the container body, abuts on the horizontal surface. Also, in this specification, "upper side" refers to the direction from the container body toward the lid body when the lid body is fitted to the container body (+Z axis direction), and "lower side" refers to the opposite direction (-Z axis direction).

[Packaging containers]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a packaging container 1, and Fig. 2 is a side view of the packaging container 1. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the packaging container 1 is a container capable of accommodating food or other objects to be contained, and includes a lid body 10 and a container body 20. The lid body 10 and the container body 20 are configured such that the lid body 10 closes the container body 20.

In this embodiment, the lid body 10 and the container body 20 are each formed by thermoforming a resin sheet of a predetermined sheet thickness. The lid body 10 and the container body 20 may be of the same sheet thickness or may be of different sheet thicknesses.

The resin sheets forming the lid 10 and the container body 20 may be, for example, thermoplastic resin sheets such as polyolefin resin sheets, polystyrene resin sheets, and polyester resin sheets. These resin sheets may be foamed or non-foamed sheets. Furthermore, laminated sheets may be used as the resin sheets. Examples of laminated sheets that may be used include film-laminated foam sheets in which a film is laminated to a foam sheet, co-extrusion laminate sheets, and extrusion laminate sheets. Examples of thermoforming methods include vacuum forming, thick air forming, vacuum and pressure forming, and hot plate forming.

In this embodiment, the lid 10 is colorless and transparent, and the container body 20 is black. However, the colors of the lid 10 and the container body 20 are not particularly limited. The lid 10 is preferably made of a transparent material, and is more preferably colorless and transparent. If the lid 10 is made of a transparent material, the contents placed in the container body 20 can be easily seen through the lid 10. The color of the container body 20 may be a single color or may include multiple colors. In addition, the container body 20 may have a pattern. For example, the container body 20 may have a base color of black, and at least a portion of the container body 20 may have a pattern of gold or red.

[Container body]
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container body 20. Fig. 4 is a plan view (top view) of the container body 20. Fig. 5 is a side view of the container body 20. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the container body 20 has a storage mounting portion 21, a storage peripheral wall portion 22, an upper peripheral wall portion 23, a flange portion 24, a main body outer edge portion 25, an inner peripheral step portion 26, a lid locking portion 27, and a bulging recess portion 28.

In this embodiment, the container body 20 has a circular outer shape in a plan view. Here, "circular" means a shape that can be regarded as a circle when the container body 20 is viewed as a whole, that is, a substantially circular shape. Therefore, for example, a protruding portion may be formed on part of the outer edge of the container body 20, or at least one corner may be formed as a right angle or polygon. In this embodiment, a bulging recess 28 is formed as a protruding portion on part of the outer edge of the container body 20. The above also applies to the shape, position, etc. of each part (described below) that constitutes the packaging container 1 when viewed from every direction.

The outer shape of the container body 20 in a plan view is not limited to a shape without clear corners, such as the circular shape in this embodiment, but may be a polygonal shape such as a square, rectangle, triangle, or pentagon.

The storage and placement section 21 is a portion that constitutes the bottom of the container body 20 and is used to place the objects to be stored. In this embodiment, the storage and placement section 21 has a circular outer shape in a planar view. However, the outer shape of the storage and placement section 21 in a planar view is not limited to a circular shape and may be a polygonal shape.

The storage and placement section 21 has a central portion 211, a first convex portion 212, and a second convex portion 213. The central portion 211 is a portion that protrudes upward from the central region on the upper surface of the storage and placement section 21. The central portion 211 does not have to protrude upward, but from the viewpoint of improving the strength of the center of the storage and placement section 21, it is preferable that the central portion 211 protrudes upward. The center of the central portion 211 in a planar view coincides with the center of the storage and placement section 21 in a planar view. In this embodiment, the center of the storage and placement section 21 in a planar view is the center of a circle that forms the outer shape of the storage and placement section 21 in a planar view. Note that if the outer shape of the storage and placement section 21 in a planar view is polygonal, the center of the storage and placement section 21 in a planar view is the center of gravity of the polygon that forms the outer shape of the storage and placement section 21 in a planar view.

The first convex portion 212 is a portion that protrudes upward from the top surface of the storage and placement portion 21 and extends radially from the center portion 211 to be connected to the peripheral wall portion. The peripheral wall portion is a side wall of the container body 20 that extends upward from the periphery of the storage and placement portion 21. In this embodiment, the peripheral wall portion is composed of the storage peripheral wall portion 22 and the upper peripheral wall portion 23.

In addition, in this embodiment, eight first convex portions 212 extend radially and linearly from the sidewall of the central portion 211 and are connected to the storage peripheral wall portion 22. The upper surfaces of the eight first convex portions 212 are all flush with each other and serve as a support surface on which the contents to be stored are placed. The presence of such first convex portions 212 improves the strength of the container body 20 and reduces deflection of the container body 20 in the direction of the central portion 211. The direction of the central portion 211 is the direction from the peripheral portion of the storage and support portion 21 toward the central portion 211.

In this embodiment, the first convex portion 212 becomes wider from the center portion 211 toward the storage peripheral wall portion 22. This increases the strength of the portion of the storage/mounting portion 21 closer to the storage peripheral wall portion 22, which is more likely to bend, and therefore reduces the overall bending of the container body 20 toward the center portion 211.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the end 214 of the first convex portion 212 on the side of the accommodating peripheral wall portion 22 is recessed downward. Also, a groove 216 is formed at the end of the first convex main body portion 215 on the side of the accommodating peripheral wall portion 22. The first convex main body portion 215 is the portion of the first convex portion 212 other than the end 214. The groove 216 is a groove that extends along the extension direction of the first convex portion 212 and is connected to the end 214. Also, the depth of the groove 216 increases toward the end 214.

Due to the presence of the ends 214 and grooves 216 as described above, for example, when an object large enough to cover almost the entire storage and placement section 21 is placed on the top surface of the eight first convex sections 212, the oil and moisture of the object smoothly flows down the grooves 216 and into the ends 214. Furthermore, the oil, etc. that flows into the ends 214 smoothly flows down the side walls of the ends 214 and flows into the liquid reservoir 29. Therefore, since the oil, etc. can be smoothly stored in the liquid reservoir 29, it is possible to effectively reduce the oil, etc. remaining on the top surface of the first convex section 212 and remaining attached to the object. The liquid reservoir 29 is a groove formed on the periphery of the storage and placement section 21, inside the portion where the storage peripheral wall section 22 extends, and serves to store the oil, etc. of the object.

The second convex portion 213 is a portion that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the storage and placement section 21 and is connected to each of the two adjacent first convex portions 212. In this embodiment, the second convex portion 213 extends linearly in a plan view. The second convex portions 213 are formed in two rows along the extension direction of the first convex portion 212, and each row is composed of eight groups of second convex portions 213. The first row of second convex portions 213 formed on the center portion 211 side and the second row of second convex portions 213 formed on the storage peripheral wall portion 22 side are positioned in a regular octagonal shape in a plan view. Furthermore, the upper surfaces of all the second convex portions 213 constituting these two groups are flush with each other and with the upper surfaces of the eight first convex portions 212. In other words, the upper surfaces of all the second convex portions 213 that make up these two groups also become placement surfaces, just like the upper surfaces of the eight first convex portions 212.

The presence of such a second convex portion 213 improves the strength of the container body 20 and reduces the circumferential deflection of the container body 20. The circumferential direction is a direction that follows the outer shape of the peripheral portion of the storage and placement portion 21.

In this embodiment, the end 217 of the second convex portion 213 becomes wider toward the first convex portion 212, improving the strength of the connection between the first convex portion 212 and the second convex portion 213. The end 217 is the end of the second convex portion 213 in the extension direction of the second convex portion 213, and its tip is connected to the side wall of the first convex portion 212. In addition, the end 217 is recessed downward, so that oil and moisture of the contained object smoothly flow along the end 217 and flow onto the upper surface of the storage and placement portion 21. This effectively reduces the oil and the like remaining on the upper surface of the second convex portion 213 and remaining attached to the contained object.

The number of first convex portions 212 is not limited to eight, as long as more than one is formed. The second convex portions 213 do not have to be formed in two rows as described above, and the number per row is not limited to eight. The upper surfaces of all first convex portions 212 and all second convex portions 213 do not have to be flush. However, considering that an object to be contained may be placed on the upper surfaces of the first convex portions 212 and the second convex portions 213, it is preferable that all of the aforementioned surfaces are flush, taking into account stability when the object to be contained is placed.

Furthermore, the storage and placement section 21 may not have at least one of the first convex portion 212 and the second convex portion 213. For example, when the storage and placement section 21 has only the second convex portion 213, the groups of second convex portions 213 constituting each of the two rows are connected to each other by two adjacent second convex portions 213 to form a regular octagonal shape in a plan view. Also, for example, when the storage and placement section 21 does not have both the first convex portion 212 and the second convex portion 213, the upper surface of the storage and placement section 21 becomes the placement surface.

The storage peripheral wall portion 22 extends upward from the periphery of the storage placement portion 21 and constitutes the lower portion of the side wall of the container body 20. The storage peripheral wall portion 22 and the storage placement portion 21 form a storage space in which the stored object is stored. In this embodiment, the storage peripheral wall portion 22 is inclined outward as it moves upward from the periphery of the storage placement portion 21. However, the storage peripheral wall portion 22 may be formed perpendicular to the storage placement portion 21 from the periphery of the storage placement portion 21.

The upper peripheral wall portion 23 is formed above the storage peripheral wall portion 22 and constitutes the upper portion of the side wall of the container body 20. In this embodiment, the upper peripheral wall portion 23 is a portion that protrudes upward from the outer end of the inner peripheral step portion 26 that is continuous with the upper end portion of the storage peripheral wall portion 22. In other words, the upper peripheral wall portion 23 is positioned outward from the upper end portion of the storage peripheral wall portion 22 by the width of the inner peripheral step portion 26 in the horizontal direction. Also, in this embodiment, the upper peripheral wall portion 23 is formed perpendicular to the inner peripheral step portion 26 from the outer end portion of the inner peripheral step portion 26.

The flange portion 24 is a portion located outside and above the inner peripheral step portion 26. Specifically, the flange portion 24 is a portion that includes the upper surface of the container body 20 and is connected to the upper end of the upper peripheral wall portion 23. The outer shape of the container body 20 in a planar view is determined by the flange portion 24. In this embodiment, the flange portion 24 has a circular outer shape in a planar view, but the shape, position, etc. of the flange portion 24 can be arbitrarily modified in design as long as the flange portion 24 is located outside and above the inner peripheral step portion 26.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper surfaces of the storage and placement portion 21 and the flange portion 24 are partially uneven. Similarly, the inner surface of the storage peripheral wall portion 22 is also intermittently uneven. This allows the necessary strength to be ensured even if the sheet thickness of the container body 20 is relatively thin. However, as long as the necessary strength can be ensured, the storage and placement portion 21, the storage peripheral wall portion 22, and the flange portion 24 do not need to have uneven parts and may be composed of only flat parts. A "flat surface" may be any surface that can be regarded as a flat surface, and may include some unevenness. For example, when the flange portion 24 is composed of only flat parts, the upper surface of the flange portion 24 may be a flat surface extending along a horizontal plane, or may be an inclined surface inclined from the horizontal plane.

The main body outer edge 25 is the outer peripheral wall of the container body 20 that is connected to the outer peripheral end of the flange portion 24. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the main body outer edge 25 extends downward from the outer peripheral end of the flange portion 24 and is slightly inclined outward as it extends downward. However, the main body outer edge 25 may be formed perpendicular to the flange portion 24 from the outer peripheral end of the flange portion 24.

The inner peripheral step 26 is a portion capable of supporting the lid outer edge 13 from below, which will be described later. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the inner peripheral step 26 is a flat plate portion whose inner end is connected to the upper end of the storage peripheral wall 22 and whose outer end is connected to the lower end of the upper peripheral wall 23. The upper surface of the inner peripheral step 26 is a plane parallel to the horizontal plane. Because the inner peripheral step 26 is such a flat plate portion, the lid outer edge 13 is stably supported by the inner peripheral step 26. However, the inner peripheral step 26 does not have to be a flat plate portion, and can be arbitrarily modified in design as long as it is capable of supporting the lid outer edge 13 from below.

The lid locking portion 27 is located above the inner peripheral step 26 and is capable of locking the lid outer edge 13 from above. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the lid locking portion 27 is provided at a position spaced above the inner peripheral step 26, and a space capable of accommodating the lid eaves 133 described below is formed between the inner peripheral step 26 and the lid locking portion 27 (see reference numeral 801 in FIG. 8). As a result, even if an unintended external force acts on the lid 10 and the lid 10 is about to come off inadvertently from the container body 20, the lid locking portion 27 locks the lid outer edge 13 from above, making it difficult for the lid 10 to come off from the container body 20.

In this embodiment, the lid locking portion 27 is a flat arc-shaped portion that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the upper peripheral wall portion 23 and is located inside the flange portion 24. In this embodiment, eight lid locking portions 27 are provided as shown in FIG. 4. Specifically, the eight lid locking portions 27 are positioned so that the angle between a first imaginary line (not shown) and a second imaginary line (not shown) is 45° when two adjacent lid locking portions 27 are viewed in plan. The first imaginary line is a line that virtually connects the center point (not shown) of one of the two adjacent lid locking portions 27 and the center point (not shown) of the center portion 211. The second imaginary line is a line that virtually connects the center point (not shown) of the other of the two adjacent lid locking portions 27 and the center point of the center portion 211.

In addition, each of the eight lid locking portions 27 is located between the first connection point and the second connection point in a plan view. The first connection point is a connection point between the storage peripheral wall portion 22 and one of the two adjacent first convex portions 212. The second connection point is a connection point between the storage peripheral wall portion 22 and the other of the two adjacent first convex portions 212.

The portion between the first and second connection points on the peripheral wall of the container body 20 is more flexible than the portion including the first connection point on the peripheral wall and the portion including the second connection point on the peripheral wall. Therefore, by providing each of the eight lid locking portions 27 in the positions described above, ease of closing and opening the lid is ensured.

In addition, the two lid locking portions 27 located on either side of the bulging recess 28 in plan view are shorter in length than the other six lid locking portions 27. This makes it easier for the lid 10 to be removed from the container body 20 when the contact body is inserted into the bulging recess 28 from the bulging outer edge portion 283 (outer edge portion; described in detail below) and brought into contact with the underside of a portion of the outer edge step portion 131 (described in detail below) to open the lid.

The lid locking portion 27 is required to be located above the inner peripheral step 26 and to be capable of locking the lid outer edge 13 from above, and the number, shape, position, etc. of the lid locking portion 27 can be arbitrarily modified in design while taking into consideration the ease of closing and opening the lid. Furthermore, the container body 20 does not need to have a lid locking portion 27.

The bulging recess 28 is a recessed portion on the lower side for opening the container body 20 by contacting a contact object with the underside of the lid outer edge portion 13. In the following description, a finger F (see FIG. 9) is used as an example of the contact object, but the contact object may also be the tip of a spoon or fork, the end of the handle, etc. In this embodiment, the bulging recess 28 is a portion that bulges outward from the flange portion 24 as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, and one bulging recess 28 is provided for the container body 20.

In addition, in this embodiment, in the closed state, the finger hook 134 (described in detail below) of the outer edge step 131 protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26, and a finger F comes into contact with the underside of the finger hook 134 when the lid is opened (see reference numeral 901 in FIG. 9). In this embodiment, the closed state is a state in which the outer edge step 131 is placed on the inner peripheral step 26 around the entire circumference, and the lid body overhang 133 described below is positioned lower than the eight lid engagement portions 27 (see FIGS. 1 and 8). At least a portion of the inner surface of the bulging recess 28 is curved so that the finger F can be guided to the underside of the finger hook 134.

In this way, because the bulging recess 28 bulges outward from the flange portion 24, the part of the outer edge step 131 that protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26 is always located inside the bulging outer edge 283 (described in detail later). This makes it possible for the bulging recess 28 to prevent the part of the outer edge step 131 that protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26 from unintentionally coming into contact with clothing or other objects. In addition, when a finger F is brought into contact with the underside of the part of the outer edge step 131 when opening the lid, at least a part of the inner surface of the bulging recess 28 can guide the finger F to the underside, allowing for smoother opening.

Specifically, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the bulging recess 28 has a bulging main body 281, a bulging peripheral wall 282, and a bulging outer edge 283. The bulging main body 281 is a concave portion that opens at the top and bulges outward and downward from the outer end of the inner peripheral step 26. The space inside the bulging main body 281 is surrounded by the side wall of the bulging main body 281 all around, and the space on the center 211 side of the space extends to the inner peripheral step 26. The bulging peripheral wall 282 is a side wall of the bulging recess 28 that extends upward from the upper end of the bulging main body 281. Both horizontal ends of the bulging peripheral wall 282 are connected to the upper peripheral wall 23.

In this embodiment, the inner surface of the bulging main body portion 281 and the inner side surface of the bulging peripheral wall portion 282 that is connected to the inner surface correspond to "at least a part of the inner surface of the bulging recess portion 28," which is a "curved surface that can guide the finger F to the underside of the outer edge step portion 131 when the finger F is brought into contact with the underside of the outer edge step portion 131."

The bulging outer edge 283 is a portion that protrudes outward from the upper end of the bulging peripheral wall portion 282, and the outer peripheral end of the bulging outer edge 283 forms the outer peripheral wall of the bulging recess 28 that extends downward. Both horizontal ends of the bulging outer edge 283 are connected to the flange portion 24 and the main body outer edge portion 25, respectively. In addition, the bulging outer edge 283 is recessed downward except for both ends. This allows a finger F to be easily inserted into the space inside the bulging main body portion 281 from the portion recessed downward of the bulging outer edge 283. As a result, the finger F can be easily guided to the underside of a portion of the outer edge step 131 that protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26.

3 and 4, the bulging recess 28 is located on the center line (not shown) of the first convex portion 212 in the extension direction of the first convex portion 212 in a plan view. In other words, the center line of the first convex portion 212 in the extension direction of the first convex portion 212 is the radial center line of the storage and placement portion 21 in the first convex portion 212.

By providing the bulging recess 28 in such a position, when the finger F is guided by the bulging recess 28, the bulging recess 28 tends to bend slightly downward from the connection point between the first convex portion 212 in the container body 20 and the storage peripheral wall portion 22 as the base point. When the bulging recess 28 bends downward, the connection point between the first convex portion 212 in the container body 20 and the storage peripheral wall portion 22 serves as the base point because the rigidity of the connection point is higher than the rigidity of the portion of the storage peripheral wall portion 22 other than the connection point. This makes it easier for the finger F to come into contact with the underside of the part of the outer edge step 131 that protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26.

However, although not shown, the bulging recess 28 may be provided at a position facing the second convex portion 213 in a plan view. When the bulging recess 28 is provided at such a position, the portion of the container body 20 near the bulging recess 28 is more likely to bend than the portion of the container body 20 near the connection point between the first convex portion 212 and the storage peripheral wall portion 22. This makes it easier for the bulging recess 28 to locally sink slightly when the finger F is guided by the bulging recess 28, making it easier for the finger F to come into contact with the underside of a portion of the outer edge step 131 that protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26.

The bulging recesses 28 need only be recessed downward to the extent that the container body 20 can be opened by contacting a contact body with the underside of the outer edge portion 13 of the lid, and the number, shape, position, etc. of the bulging recesses 28 can be arbitrarily modified in design while taking into consideration the ease of opening the lid based on the use of the bulging recesses 28.

[Cover body]
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the lid 10. Fig. 7 is a side view of the lid 10. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the lid outer edge 13 and the inner peripheral step 26 in the closed state. Reference numeral 801 in Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the lid outer edge 13 and the inner peripheral step 26 in the closed state and at a location where the lid locking portion 27 is formed. Reference numeral 802 in Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the lid outer edge 13 and the inner peripheral step 26 in the closed state and at a location where the lid locking portion 27 is not formed.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the lid body 10 has a top plate portion 11, a lid body side wall portion 12, and a lid body outer edge portion 13. In this embodiment, the lid body 10 has a circular outer shape in a plan view. In this manner, it is preferable that the lid body 10 has a shape that has an outer shape similar to the outer shape of the container body 20 in a plan view. The outer shape of the lid body 10 in a plan view may be, for example, an octagonal shape.

The top plate portion 11 is a plate-like member that is composed of one surface and has a shape that follows the outer shape of the lid body 10 in a planar view. In this way, the shape of the top plate portion 11 follows the outer shapes of the lid body 10 and the container body 20 in a planar view, so that when the top plate portion 11 is composed of a transparent material, the contents can be clearly seen through the top plate portion 11 from above the lid body 10. The number of surfaces that make up the upper surface of the top plate portion 11 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that there is only one surface. This not only ensures good visibility of the contents, but also makes it easy to place the container body 20 on the top plate portion 11 when stacking the packaging containers 1 on top of each other.

The lid side wall 12 is a portion that extends downward from the outer end of the top plate 11, and forms the side wall of the lid 10. In this embodiment, the lid side wall 12 is inclined outward as it extends downward from the top plate 11. However, the lid side wall 12 may also extend vertically downward from the outer end of the top plate 11.

The lid outer edge 13 is a portion that extends outward from the lower end of the lid side wall 12, and forms the outer edge of the lid 10. The lid outer edge 13 is formed in a position on the lid 10 that pairs with the positions of the inner peripheral step 26 and the upper peripheral wall 23 on the container body 20. The lid outer edge 13 has an outer edge step 131, a lid peripheral wall 132, and a lid eaves 133.

The outer edge step 131 is an annular flat plate portion that is connected to the lower end of the lid side wall 12 and forms the bottom of the lid 10, and its outer end is connected to the lower end of the upper peripheral wall 23. The outer edge step 131 has a flat lower surface that is parallel to the horizontal plane, and is placed on the inner peripheral step 26 when the lid is closed. Because the outer edge step 131 is such a flat plate portion, the lid outer edge 13 is stably supported by the inner peripheral step 26. However, the outer edge step 131 does not have to be a flat plate portion, and the design can be modified as desired as long as it can be placed on the inner peripheral step 26.

The lid peripheral wall 132 is a portion that extends upward from the outer end of the outer edge step 131, and forms the side wall of the lid peripheral edge 13. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the lid peripheral wall 132 is inclined outward as it moves upward from the outer end of the outer edge step 131, and the inclination angle of the lid peripheral wall 132 corresponds to the inclination angle of the upper peripheral wall 23. However, the lid peripheral wall 132 may also extend vertically downward from the outer end of the outer edge step 131.

The lid overhanging portion 133 is a portion that extends horizontally from the outer end of the lid peripheral wall portion 132. In this embodiment, the upper surface of the lid overhanging portion 133 is a flat surface that extends along the horizontal plane. The outer end of the lid overhanging portion 133 is a portion that can abut against the upper peripheral wall portion 23 in the closed state. In the closed state, the entire outer end of the lid overhanging portion 133 may abut against the upper peripheral wall portion 23, or only a portion of the outer end may abut.

In this embodiment, the finger F contacts the underside of the outer edge step 131 when opening the lid, but this contact is not limited to this manner. For example, depending on the shape, size, and relative position of the lid peripheral wall 132 and the lid overhang 133 to the bulging recess 28, the finger F may contact the outer side surface of the lid peripheral wall 132 or the underside of the lid overhang 133 when opening the lid. In other words, the packaging container 1 only needs to be able to be contacted by a contact body such as a finger F at any point on the underside of the lid outer edge 13.

The lid 10 and the container body 20 are designed so that the size of the lid outer edge 13 in a plan view is approximately the same as the size of the upper peripheral wall 23 in a plan view. "Approximately the same" is a concept that includes both "same" and differences that can be considered to be the same. That is, the lid 10 and the container body 20 are designed so that the outer end of the lid overhang 133 and the upper peripheral wall 23 are in point contact on a cut surface parallel to a substantially vertical plane of the packaging container 1, as shown in FIG. 8. In addition, the vertical length of the lid peripheral wall 132 is shorter than the length between the lid locking portion 27 and the inner peripheral step 26 of the container body 20.

When the lid is closed, as shown in FIG. 8, the outer edge step 131 abuts against the inner peripheral step 26 at both the formed and non-formed portions of the lid locking portion 27. This restricts the lid 10 from moving downward beyond the inner peripheral step 26 by the inner peripheral step 26.

When the lid body 10 moves upward in the closed state, the upper surface of the lid body overhanging portion 133 comes into contact with the lid locking portion 27 at the location where the lid locking portion 27 is formed, as shown by reference numeral 801 in FIG. 8 (see the dashed line in the figure), and the lid body overhanging portion 133 is locked to the lid locking portion 27. As a result, the lid body 10 is restricted from moving upward beyond the lid locking portion 27 by the lid locking portion 27, unless a force sufficient to move the lid body overhanging portion 133 upward is applied to the lid body 10. Furthermore, due to this restriction, the lid locking portion 27 also restricts the lid body 10 from moving upward at the location where the lid locking portion 27 is not formed, as shown by reference numeral 802 in FIG. 8.

[Opening the lid using the expansion recess]
Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the state around the bulging recess when the cover is opened. Reference numeral 901 in Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the finger hook 134 and the finger F when the cover is opened. Reference numeral 902 in Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the region R in the figure indicated by reference numeral 901 in Fig. 9.

<Relationship between outer peripheral step and inner peripheral step>
In the packaging container 1, in the closed state, a part of the outer edge step 131 protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26 and is located above the bulging recess 28. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 9, the outer part of the outer edge step 131 protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26 over the entire circumference. Then, as shown by reference numeral 901 in Fig. 9, a part of the outer part of the outer edge step 131 that is arranged at a position corresponding to the formation position of the bulging recess 28 in a plan view is located above the inner end of the bulging main body 281. A part of the outer part of the outer edge step 131 that is arranged at a position corresponding to the formation position of the bulging recess 28 in a plan view becomes a finger hook 134 for hooking a finger F on the underside of that part when the lid is opened.

The situation in which a part of the outer edge step 131, such as the finger hook 134, protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26 is not limited to the closed lid state. For example, even in the case where the lid 10 is temporarily placed on the container body 20 without engaging the lid eaves 133 with one of the eight lid engagement portions 27, a part or all of the finger hook 134 may protrude outward from the inner peripheral step 26 and be located above the bulging recess 28. In other words, the packaging container 1 may be in any state, not limited to the closed lid state, as long as a part of the outer edge step 131 protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26 and is located above the bulging recess 28 when the outer edge step 131 is placed on the inner peripheral step 26.

In this manner, in this embodiment, the finger hook 134 is located above the bulging main body 281. Therefore, the outer end of the lid eaves 133, in other words the outermost edge of the lid 10, is always located inside the bulging outer edge 283. This makes it possible for the bulging recess 28 to prevent the outer portion of the outer edge step 131 that protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26 from unintentionally coming into contact with clothing or other objects, thereby preventing the lid from being accidentally released from the closed state.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown by reference numeral 902 in FIG. 9, the width L1 of the outer edge step 131 is narrower than the width L2 of the inner peripheral step 26. As a result, even if an external force is suddenly applied to the outer end of the lid eaves portion 133 from the horizontal direction, the closed state can be maintained by the inner peripheral step 26, which is wider than the outer edge step 131, unless the external force is strong enough to move the lid 10 horizontally by a distance equivalent to or greater than the width L1. Therefore, even when considering the action of an unexpected external force, there is no need to design the finger hook portion 134 to be located near the center of the bulging recess 28, and the finger hook portion 134 can be made to protrude to an appropriate extent.

<Method of opening the packaging container>
The method of opening the packaging container 1 is as follows. First, the finger F is inserted into the space in the bulging main body 281 from the recessed portion on the lower side of the bulging outer edge portion 283. Next, the fingertip of the finger F is brought into contact with either the inner surface of the bulging main body 281 or the inner side surface of the bulging peripheral wall portion 282. Next, as shown by reference numeral 901 in FIG. 9, the fingertip of the finger F is placed along at least the inner surface of the bulging main body 281 toward the lower surface of the finger hook portion 134 (see the arrow and the dashed line in the figure). Next, the pad of the fingertip of the finger F is brought into contact with the lower surface of the finger hook portion 134, and the fingertip of the finger F is hooked on the upper side of the finger hook portion 134. Then, for example, the lid 10 is opened by lifting it upward while pinching the lid eaves portion 133 with the thumb and finger F (not shown).

In this way, when the outer edge step 131 of the packaging container 1 is placed on the inner edge step 26, a part of the outer edge step 131, such as the finger hook 134, protrudes outward from the inner edge step 26. This makes it easier for a contact body such as a finger F to come into contact with the underside of the part of the outer edge step 131 when opening the lid, making it easier to open the lid.

In addition, when the outer edge step 131 of the packaging container 1 is placed on the inner peripheral step 26, a part of the outer edge step 131 that protrudes outward from the inner peripheral step 26, such as the finger hook 134, is located above the bulging recess 28. As a result, the outermost edge of the part of the outer edge step 131 is located at least inside the bulging outer edge 283, so the bulging outer edge 283 plays a role in reducing the unintentional contact of a part of the outer edge step 131 with an object such as clothing. And, by playing this role, the bulging outer edge 283 can reduce the inadvertent release of the closed state, and thus the amount of waste of the contained contents. This can contribute to the achievement of Goal 12 "Responsible Consumption and Production" and Goal 14 "Conserve and sustainably use the sea" of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

[Additional Notes]
One aspect of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. For example, an embodiment obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in each of the different embodiments is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Packaging container 10 Lid 13 Lid outer edge 131 Outer edge step 134 Finger hook (part of outer edge step)
20 Container body 21 Storage placement section 22 Storage peripheral wall section (peripheral wall section)
23 Upper peripheral wall part (peripheral wall part)
211 central portion 212 first convex portion 213 second convex portion 24 flange portion 26 inner peripheral step portion 27 lid locking portion 28 bulging recess 283 bulging outer edge portion (outer edge portion)
F Finger (contact body)

Claims (5)

A packaging container comprising a container body and a lid body for closing the container body,
The container body includes:
An inner peripheral step portion capable of supporting an outer edge portion of the lid body from below;
a protruding recess recessed downward for opening the container body by bringing a contact body into contact with the lower surface of the outer edge of the lid body,
the lid outer edge portion includes an outer edge step portion placed on the inner peripheral step portion,
A packaging container, wherein a portion of the outer edge step protrudes outward from the inner edge step and is positioned above the bulging recess when the outer edge step is placed on the inner edge step. The container body has a flange portion located outside and above the inner circumferential step portion,
The packaging container according to claim 1 , wherein the bulging recess bulges outward from the flange portion, and at least a portion of the inner surface of the bulging recess is a curved surface capable of guiding the contact body to the lower surface. The packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the container body has a lid locking portion that is located above the inner peripheral step and that can lock the outer edge of the lid from above. The packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the outer edge of the bulging recess is recessed downward. The container body includes:
A storage and placement section for placing the objects to be stored;
A peripheral wall portion extending upward from a peripheral edge portion of the storage placement portion,
The storage and placement section is
a plurality of first convex portions each protruding upward from an upper surface of the storage and placement portion and extending radially from a center of the storage and placement portion and connected to the peripheral wall portion;
a second convex portion protruding upward from the upper surface and connected to each of two adjacent first convex portions,
The packaging container according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding recess faces the second convex portion in a plan view.

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