U.S. patent application number 10/523005 was filed with the patent office on 2006-01-19 for packaging container and method of producing the same.
Invention is credited to Yoshinori Fujii.
Application Number | 20060011638 10/523005 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31497624 |
Filed Date | 2006-01-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060011638 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fujii; Yoshinori |
January 19, 2006 |
Packaging container and method of producing the same
Abstract
A packaging container according to the present invention is
molded of a thin synthetic resin sheet. The outer peripheral edge
of an opening of the packaging container 1, 18 has an outwardly
extemded flange 11. The outer peripheral edge 11a of the flange 11
is corrugated in the vertical or horizontal direction. By
corrugating the outer peripheral edge 11a of the flange 11, the
corrugated outer peripheral edge 11a can give a soft touch to
user's hand or finger or a wrapping film contacting the same. As a
result, user's hand or finger can be prevented from being hurt and
the wrapping film can be prevented from being broken.
Inventors: |
Fujii; Yoshinori;
(Hiroshima, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RABIN & Berdo, PC
1101 14TH STREET, NW
SUITE 500
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
31497624 |
Appl. No.: |
10/523005 |
Filed: |
August 1, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
August 1, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP03/09780 |
371 Date: |
August 9, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/657 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 77/20 20130101;
B65D 1/40 20130101; B31B 50/59 20170801; B65D 1/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/657 |
International
Class: |
B65D 1/42 20060101
B65D001/42 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 2, 2002 |
JP |
2002-226431 |
Apr 7, 2003 |
JP |
2003-103250 |
Claims
1. A packaging container molded of a synthetic resin sheet in a
predetermined shape, a peripheral edge encompassing an opening of
the packaging container being corrugated.
2. A packaging container according to claim 1, in which the
difference between the top and the bottom of the waveform of the
corrugation is in the range of 0.2-1.0 mm and the pitch (the
distance between the tops or the bottoms of the waveforms) of the
corrugation is in the range of 0.5-5.0 mm.
3. A packaging container according to claim 2, in which the
difference between the top and the bottom of the waveform of the
corrugation is not more than 0.5 mm and the pitch (the distance
between the tops or the bottoms of the waveforms) of the
corrugation is not more than 1.0 mm.
4. A packaging container according to claim 1, in which an outer
peripheral edge of the packaging container is corrugated by
providing minute projections and minute recesses throughout a
flange formed at the periphery of the opening of the packaging
container and then cutting the outer periphery of the flange
provided with the minute projections and the minute recesses.
5. A method for manufacturing a packaging container including a
step of molding a synthetic resin sheet into a predetermined shape
using a metal mold for vertically corrugating a part outwardly
projected from an opening of the packaging container, and a step of
transferring the sheet-molded product obtained in the
above-mentioned step to a trimming die and cutting the peripheral
edge encompassing the opening using a cutting blade having a blade
edge which is straight or corrugated in the direction of the length
of the blade.
6. A method for manufacturing a packaging container according to
claim 5, in which the step of cutting using the cutting blade is
carried out in an atmosphere temperature range of 15.degree.
C.-55.degree. C.
7. A packaging container according to claim 2, in which an outer
peripheral edge of the packaging container is corrugated by
providing minute projections and minute recesses throughout a
flange formed at the periphery of the opening of the packaging
container and then cutting the outer periphery of the flange
provided with the minute projections and the minute recesses.
8. A packaging container according to claim 3, in which an outer
peripheral edge of the packaging container is corrugated by
providing minute projections and minute recesses throughout a
flange formed at the periphery of the opening of the packaging
container and then cutting the outer periphery of the flange
provided with the minute projections and the minute recesses.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a packaging container and a
method of producing the same, and especially to an opening
peripheral edge encompassing an opening of a packaging
container.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Among synthetic resin packaging containers, containers
having an inside storage part formed by sheet molding recently have
come to need space saving property. Therefore, needs have changed
from containers molded of a foamed sheet to containers molded of
thin synthetic resin sheet. A synthetic resin sheet is molded into
a container shape and then the peripheral edge of the container
shape is cut, whereby a container molded of thin synthetic resin
sheet can be obtained. Generally, such a packaging container has a
shape provided with a wide opening. A packaging container of this
shape comprises a bottom plate, a peripheral side wall upwardly
extending from the periphery of the bottom plate, and an opening
peripheral edge encompassing an opening and outwardly extended from
the upper edge of the peripheral side wall.
[0005] Further, a lid to be put on a container is manufactured also
by molding a thin synthetic resin sheet into a lid shape. Some lids
are molded into complicated shapes in order to have a good design.
However, generally, a lid has an opening peripheral edge
encompassing a lid opening and extended outwardly, obliquely
downwardly or downwardly in order to engage with the upper edge of
the peripheral side wall and the opening peripheral edge of the
container.
[0006] A container or a lid molded of a thin synthetic resin sheet
is separated from the sheet by cutting the above-mentioned opening
peripheral edge thereof. Therefore, the opening peripheral edge is
elongated in straight and/or smoothly curved fashion along the
outline of the container or the lid.
[0007] As a result, there is a problem that such an opening
peripheral edge elongated along the outline of a container or a lid
is apt to hurt user's hand or finger at the time of using the
container or the lid since the material sheet thereof is thin.
[0008] Further, at the time of putting an article into such a
container and wrapping the same with a wrapping film, the wrapping
film is rubbed against the opening peripheral edge and sometimes
cut. Therefore, there is a problem that much time and labor is
required to wrap such a packaging container with a wrapping
film.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve
the above-mentioned problems by providing a method for
manufacturing a safe and easily treatable packaging container
having an opening peripheral edge of an improved structure.
[0010] A packaging container according to the present invention is
one whose opening peripheral edge encompassing an opening is cut,
and the container is characterized in that the opening peripheral
edge thereof is not elongated straight but is finely corrugated in
the longitudinal direction.
[0011] Even though a packaging container according to the present
invention is molded of a thin synthetic resin sheet, the finely
corrugated opening peripheral edge in the longitudinal direction
thereof has a lower sharpness than a thin peripheral edge elongated
straight has. As a result, if user's hand, finger or the like is
rubbed against the opening peripheral edge, the hand, finger or the
like can be prevented from being hurt.
[0012] Further, even if a wrapping film is stretched on and rubbed
against the opening peripheral edge, the wrapping film can be
prevented from being broken.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container body of a
packaging container according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0014] FIGS. 2(A)-2(C) are partly enlarged views of section A of
the container body of the packaging container of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3(A)-3(C) are partly enlarged views of a main part of a
packaging container according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B) are enlarged views of a main part of a
packaging container according to a further embodiment of the
present invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 is an illustrative plan view of a container body or a
lid of a packaging container for explaining a peripheral edge
thereof to be corrugated.
[0018] FIG. 6 is an illustrative plan view of a packaging container
in which a container body and a lid are connected to each other for
explaining the positions of a peripheral edge thereof to be
corrugated.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating an example of the shape of a
container body of a packaging container and showing the positions
to be corrugated.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a view illustrating an example of the shape of a
lid of a packaging container and showing the positions to be
corrugated.
[0021] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an example of a metal mold
for molding a sheet.
[0022] FIG. 10 is a front view showing the cutting operation of a
packaging container by a Thomson blade.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container body of a
packaging container according to one embodiment of the present
invention. And FIGS. 2(A)-2(C) are a partly enlarged perspective
view, a plan view and a front view of section A of the container
body 1 of the packaging container of FIG. 1.
[0024] In this embodiment, the container body 1 is explained as a
packaging container. The container body 1 has a bottom plate 20 and
a peripheral side frame (peripheral side wall) 10 standing
obliquely outwardly at the periphery of the bottom plate 20. The
bottom plate 20 has, for example, a substantially rectangular shape
with rounded four corners. Therefore, the container body 1 has, as
a whole, a shape of a deep rectangular dish. And the upper end of
the peripheral side frame 10 defines an opening of the container
body 1. An outwardly extended flange 11 is formed at the upper end
of the peripheral side frame 10. The flange 11 constitutes a
peripheral flange encompassing the upper end of the peripheral side
frame 10, namely, encompassing a container opening. The flange 11
serves for reinforcing the container opening both in the inward and
outward directions.
[0025] The outer peripheral edge 11a of the flange 11 is finely
corrugated. In the embodiment shown, the outer peripheral edge 11a
of the flange 11 is finely corrugated when seen in the horizontal
direction. In this case, the difference d between the top and the
bottom of the corrugated shape (waveform) is not more than 0.5 mm.
Further, the pitch p (the distance between the tops or bottoms) of
the corrugated shape (waveform) is about 1 mm.
[0026] In this respect, the difference d between the top and the
bottom of the waveform may be in the range of 0.2-1.0 mm and is
preferably not more than 0.5. And the pitch p may be in the range
of 0.5-5.0 mm and is preferably about 1.0 mm.
[0027] By determining the size of the waveform in the
above-mentioned value ranges, user's hand and finger can be
prevented from being hurt and the wrapping film can be prevented
from being broken by the outer peripheral edge 11a of the flange
11.
[0028] FIGS. 3 (A)-(C) are a partly perspective view, a plan view
and a front view showing another shape of a flange 11 extended
outwardly from the upper end of the peripheral side frame 10 of the
container body 1. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 (A)-(C), the
whole of the flange 11 encompassing the container opening is finely
corrugated in the vertical direction. As a result, the outer
peripheral edge 11a of the flange 11 is substantially straight in a
plan view, but the outer peripheral edge 11a extending in the
lateral (horizontal) direction is finely corrugated in the vertical
direction in a side view (seen in the horizontal direction). The
difference d between the top and the bottom of the corrugated shape
(waveform) is in the range of 0.2-1.0 mm similarly to the
above-mentioned embodiment, and the pitch p (the distance between
the tops or bottoms) of the waveform is in the range of 0.5-5.0
mm.
[0029] The direction of the corrugation of the outer peripheral
edge 11a of the flange 11 may be a horizontal direction in which
case the waveforms can be seen in plan view as in the
above-mentioned embodiment, or may be a vertical direction in which
case the waveforms can be seen in the lateral (horizontal)
direction as in this embodiment.
[0030] Otherwise, by combining the above-mentioned embodiment and
this embodiment, the outer peripheral edge 11a of the flange 11 may
be complexly corrugated both in the lateral (horizontal) and
vertical directions.
[0031] Anyway, since the outer peripheral edge 11a of the flange 11
is finely corrugated, the outer peripheral edge 11a does not form a
straight edge such as one cut from a flat thin resin sheet but
forms a finely waved or corrugated edge. As a result, the outer
peripheral edge 11a of the flange 11 according to the present
invention can prevent user's hand and finger from being hurt and
prevent a packaging film from being broken by contacting the outer
peripheral edge.
[0032] FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B) are partly enlarged views illustrating
the structure of a flange 11 and an outer peripheral edge 11a
thereof according to a further embodiment of the present
invention.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 4(A), minute projections and recesses are
formed throughout the flange 11. That is, a number of minute
projections 12 protruding on the upper surface side of the flange
11 and a number of minute recesses 13 depressed on the reverse side
of the flange 11 are regularly formed. And as shown in FIG. 4(B),
the outer peripheral edge 11a obtained by cutting such a flange 11
forms a vertically corrugated edge defined by a cutting line
crossing the number of minute projections 12 and a number of minute
recesses 13 formed throughout the flange 11.
[0034] In the case of this embodiment, the outer peripheral edge
11a of the flange 11 is also not straight but corrugated, so that
the sharpness with respect to user's hand and finger and a
packaging film can be reduced.
[0035] In the above-mentioned embodiments, described are package
containers having a corrugated opening peripheral edge encompassing
the opening of the container body 1. However, the present invention
can be applied not only to the container body 1 but also to an
opening peripheral edge of a lid to be put on the container body 1.
That is, when a packaging container, especially one for packaging
food or the like is molded of a thin synthetic resin sheet, not
only a container body thereof but also a lid to be fitted to the
container body is manufactured. Similarly to the case of the
container body, the opening peripheral edge of the lid is cut out
of a synthetic resin sheet. Therefore, by forming the opening
peripheral edge of the lid in a corrugated shape, the opening
peripheral edge of the lid can have a soft touch instead of a sharp
touch.
[0036] FIG. 5 is an illustrative plan view of a container body 1 or
a lid 18, in which a flange 11 is shown by cross-hatching. Any of
the corrugated shapes as above-mentioned can be applied to the
peripheral edge 11a of this flange 11. Further, when the flange 11
is provided with a lug or projection 15 for picking at the time of
fitting the lid to the container body or opening the fitted lid,
the outer peripheral edge of this lug 15 is preferably
corrugated.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 6, when the container body 1 and the lid 18
are connected to each other for folding at a contact portion 16,
corrugated shapes can be applied to the outer peripheral edge of
the flange 11 of the container body and the outer peripheral edge
of the lid 18 except the outer peripheral edge of the contact
portion 16.
[0038] Further, when the projection 15 is projected, the outer
peripheral edge of the projection 15 is preferably corrugated.
[0039] In the above-mentioned description with reference to FIGS. 5
and 6, substantially the whole of the outer peripheral edge of the
flange 11 of the container body 1 or the lid 18 has a corrugated
shape. However, not the whole but optional portions of the outer
peripheral edge may have a corrugated shape.
[0040] In the above-mentioned embodiments, provided is an outwardly
extended flange at the opening of the container body or the lid.
However, if there is no flange at the periphery of the opening of
the container body or the lid, the opening peripheral edge can be
corrugated.
[0041] FIGS. 7(A)-(C) are illustrative vertically sectional views
of three kinds of container bodies. In the case that a flange 11 is
provided at the periphery of the opening as shown in FIG. 7(A), the
outer peripheral edge (T1 in FIG. 7(A)) of the flange 11 can be
formed in a corrugated shape. In the case of a container body
having a shape as shown in FIG. 7(B), the outer peripheral edge T2
can be formed in a corrugated shape. And in the case of a container
body having a shape as shown in FIG. 7(C), the outer peripheral
edge T3 can be formed in a corrugated shape.
[0042] FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) are illustrative vertically sectional
views of examples of the shape of a lid. In the case of FIG. 8(A),
the outer peripheral edge T4 of the flange of the lid can be formed
in a corrugated shape. And in the case of FIG. 8(B), the downward
opening peripheral edge T5 encompassing the opening can be formed
in a corrugated shape.
[0043] Now, a method for manufacturing a container body of FIG. 3
will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10 in the
following.
[0044] A synthetic resin sheet from a whole roll is fed on a metal
mold P1 for molding. The sheet is deformed in line with the shape
of the metal mold P1, then transferred to a trimming die and cut by
a cutting machine having e.g. a Thomson blade, whereby a molded
container is separated from the sheet.
[0045] One example of a metal mold P1 for molding is shown in FIG.
9. In the metal mold P1 for molding, at least the part for molding
a flange 11 is formed in a corrugated shape W finely corrugated in
the vertical direction. By molding a sheet using this metal mold
P1, the flange 11 of the container body 1 can be formed in a
vertically corrugated shape.
[0046] FIG. 10 shows an example of cutting operation of a container
body molded of a sheet by a trimming die P2. In this example, a
Thomson blade C is used. The edge of the Thomson blade C is formed
in a corrugated shape corrugated in the direction vertical to the
paper surface of the drawing. By using such a Thomson blade C, the
peripheral edge of the flange can be corrugated in waveforms not
only in the vertical direction but also in the horizontal
direction.
[0047] If a flange has been corrugated in the vertical direction as
shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4, the outer peripheral
edge of the flange cut by a cutting blade such as a Thomson blade
having a straight blade edge is vertically waved in a side view (in
the horizontal direction), though it is straight in a plan view.
Therefore, by preliminarily corrugating a flange in the vertical
direction, a cutting blade having a straight blade edge can be
used, so that a packaging container can be easily manufactured.
[0048] It is preferable that an opening peripheral edge of a
packaging container is cut in an atmosphere temperature range of
15.degree. C.-55.degree. C. This is because if the temperature of a
molded product is not higher than 15.degree. C., the molded product
is apt to be cracked to become a bad product, and on the contrary,
the temperature of a molded product is not lower than 55.degree.
C., the molded product is apt to be softened and deformed.
[0049] Although embodiments of the present invention have been
described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that
these are by way of illustration and example only and are not to be
taken by way of limitation, and the spirit and scope of the present
invention are limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
[0050] This application corresponds to the Japanese Patent
Application No. 2002-226431 filed in the Japan Patent Office on
Aug. 2, 2002 and the Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-103250
filed in the Japan Patent Office on Apr. 7, 2003, and the whole
disclosures of these Japanese applications are incorporated in this
application by citation.
* * * * *