JPH0223584Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention mainly relates to a cold storage container for pre-cooling and shipping vegetables.

[Prior art and its problems] In general, when shipping and transporting raw vegetables such as strawberries, carrots, lettuce, spinach, and broccoli to long distances, these vegetables are stored in containers such as insulated shipping boxes. Pre-cooling by vacuum cooling is performed in this state. This pre-cooling of vegetables by vacuum cooling varies depending on the type of vegetables, but
For example, in the case of strawberries, the atmosphere in the cooling chamber is gradually reduced from a normal pressure of 760 mmHg over a period of about 8 to 10 minutes, and finally the pressure is reduced to about 30 mmHg, and the cooling temperature is reduced to 1 to 100 mmHg. The temperature is maintained at 2°C, and this state is maintained for cooling for about 15 to 20 minutes, and after this cooling, the pressure is returned to normal pressure within a very short time of 2 to 3 minutes or less. Also, in the case of relatively hard vegetables such as carrots, the cooling time in the vacuum state is increased.

Conventionally, when pre-cooling the vegetables by vacuum cooling, containers containing vegetables are stacked in a cooling chamber with the lids removed as shown in Figure 9, or the side walls of the container bodies are stacked as shown in Figure 10. Containers each having an opening at the top are stacked with lids on and the opening is left open so that the containers can respond to the pressure reduction action in the cooling chamber and the pressure increase action to return the pressure to normal pressure.

However, in any of the above cases, the lid of the container or the lid of the mouth part must be attached and removed manually, making the work required for the pre-cooling process such as loading and unloading into the cooling room extremely troublesome. It was something.

Therefore, in order to simplify the work of carrying vegetables into and out of the cooling chamber by allowing vegetables to be pre-cooled with the lid on, the present applicant developed a cold storage container for pre-cooling and shipping vegetables of this type. A vent hole is provided in the upper part of the container such as a lid, and a valve body made of an elastic material is attached to the outside of the vent part, and the vent hole can be opened and closed by the outward elastic deformation of the valve body. (Jitsugan No. 60-15092,
Jitsugan No. 174084).

However, in this case, when the pressure in the cooling chamber is reduced, the valve body bulges outward and the vent hole is opened, and the pressure inside the container is also quickly reduced. However, when the pressure is increased to return to normal pressure after cooling, the valve body opens Because the pores remain closed, there is almost no air flowing into the container, and the container is unable to respond to sudden pressure increases, resulting in a large pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container, and the foam container side wall This caused problems such as deformation such as bending inward and eventually cracking.

In view of the above, the present invention is designed to be used as a cold storage container mainly for pre-cooling vegetables and shipping, and is capable of responding to both depressurization and short-term pressure increase in the cooling chamber, which may cause deformation or cracking of the side wall of the container. There is no fear,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that can suitably perform precooling by vacuum cooling with the lid closed, and has an extremely excellent cold retention effect.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A cold storage container of the present invention to solve the above problems includes a container body made of synthetic resin foam and having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and a lid that fits outwardly against the opening edge of the container body. A vent hole communicating with the inside and outside of the container is provided in a required area of the upper part of the container, and a valve body made of an elastic material capable of closing the vent hole is attached to at least one side edge on the outside of the area, The vent hole is provided so as to be openable and closable by the elastic deformation action of the valve body, and the upper end of at least one side wall of the container body and the inner surface of the lid member in relative contact with the upper end of the container body are further provided with inner and outer surfaces when the side wall is bent inward. It is characterized by being provided with a ventilation recess that can be communicated.

[Function] In the cold storage container of the present invention having the above configuration, precooling is performed by vacuum cooling with vegetables stored in the container body and the lid attached, and at that time, the inside of the cooling chamber is As the pressure is reduced to a low level, a valve body made of an elastic material provided on the outside of the upper part of the container bends outward against the elastic force due to the internal pressure of the container, and is closed by the valve body. As a result, the air inside the container is discharged from between the valve body and the container through the ventilation hole, and the inside of the container is quickly brought to the same pressure as the cooling chamber, reducing the pressure and evacuating the container. When the pressure inside the cooling chamber is approximately the same as that of the cooling chamber, the valve body returns to its original state in which the vent hole is closed due to the elastic force of the material. In this way, the pressure is reduced to a vacuum, and cooling is performed after a certain period of time while maintaining a predetermined cooling temperature.

After cooling, the pressure in the cooling chamber is increased to return it to normal pressure, but at the time of this pressure increase, the valve body remains blocking the vent hole, so the pressure increases rapidly in a short period of time, causing the inside of the vacuum chamber to rise. When a pressure difference occurs between the container body and the outside, and the side wall of the foam container main body flexes to some extent so as to be sucked inward, the ventilation recess provided at at least one of the upper end of the side wall and the lid becomes in communication, Since air outside the container flows into the container through the recess, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container does not increase any further, and excessive bending deformation of the side wall is prevented. In addition, as the pressure approaches normal pressure, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container becomes smaller, and even if the side wall bends less and the ventilation recess is closed, a small amount of air still flows in from the gap between the container body and the lid. Because of this,
As time passes, it returns to its original state without bending.

[Example] Next, an example of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 8.

In FIGS. 1 to 7, 1 is a container body made of synthetic resin foam and having a rectangular shape such as a substantially rectangular plane, and 2 is made of the same material as described above and extends outward from the opening edge 1a of the container body 1. This is a lid that fits. As for the fitting structure, in the case shown in the figure, a cutout step 1b is provided on the outside of the opening edge 1a of the container body 1, and a projecting edge 2a that fits into the cutout step 1b is provided on the peripheral edge of the lid body 2. In this fitted state, the side wall of the container body 1 can bend inward.

The outside of the upper wall 3 of the lid 2 is recessed in a required area approximately in the center, and a ventilation hole consisting of a relatively small-diameter through hole that communicates the inside and outside of the container is provided in the recess 4. 5 is provided in the recess 4, and a plate-shaped valve body 6 made of rubber, soft synthetic resin such as polyethylene resin foam, or other elastic material capable of closing the vent hole 5 is provided on the upper surface thereof. It is attached to the lid body 2 by at least one side edge while being fitted into the recess 4 so as to be flush.

When the valve body 6 is made of a relatively stretchable elastic material, it is fixed at one opposing side edge as shown in the figure, and the central part is fixed due to the elasticity and stretchability of the material. The ventilation hole 5 is provided so that it can be opened and closed by the outward bending deformation action and the contraction return action to the original state. It is also possible to fix the valve body 6 made of an elastic material at one side edge so that the elastic hole 5 can be opened and closed by the warping action and return action of the valve body 6, but from the viewpoint of sealing performance under normal conditions, the relative It is preferable to attach it at the opposite edge.
In addition, the valve body 6 can be fixed by adhesive means such as adhesive or magnetic tape while it is fitted in the recess 4, or it can be opened and closed by the elastic expansion and contraction of the material. Various other fixing means such as fasteners can be used as long as the device can be attached to the device.

In addition to the case where the above-mentioned ventilation hole 5 is formed by a large number of small-diameter through holes as shown in the figure, one or several openings with a slightly larger diameter may be provided in the recess, and the total opening area is It may be set in consideration of breathability, etc.

Further, the lid 2 has a venting recess 7 formed at a substantially central position on the inner surface of the container body 1 in relative contact with the upper end of the side wall on any side of the container body 1, so that the side wall 7 is moved inward by the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container. It is provided so that the inside and outside of the container can communicate with each other when bent into a curved shape. In the figure, the recess 8 is formed at the inner side of the protruding edge 2a to be slightly wider than the thickness of the upper end of the side wall 7, allowing ventilation when the side wall is displaced inward.
It is also possible to form the recess 8 continuously up to an intermediate position on the lower surface of the projecting edge 2a. Further, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a ventilation recess 8 may be provided at the upper end of the side wall 7 of the container body 1 to allow communication between the inside and outside of the container when the side wall 7 is curved inward. can.

As shown in the figure, the venting recess 8 is provided at the upper end of the opposing side wall 7 on the long side where the amount of bending deformation due to the pressure difference inside and outside the container is maximum, and on one side of the lid body 2 that is in relative contact with this. In addition, it can also be implemented by providing it on the upper end of the side wall on other sides or on the inner surface of the lid body.
It is also possible to simply provide it on the upper end of one side wall or on the inner surface of the lid that is in contact with the upper end of the side wall.

Furthermore, a valve body 6 is provided on the upper surface of the upper wall portion 3 of the lid body 2 and/or the lower surface of the bottom of the container body 1, which can be opened between the upper and lower containers A when stacked, and for ventilation. Practically speaking, it is desirable to provide the protrusions so as to maintain a spacing of . In the case of the illustrated embodiment, rib-like protrusions 9 having a generally L-shaped plan view for supporting the upper container A are provided at the four corners of the top surface, and protrusions 10 that fit into the protrusions 9 are provided at the four corners of the lower surface of the bottom. When the containers are stacked, the upper containers A are supported by the rib-like protrusions 9 of the lower containers A, and can be stably stacked in a state where the protrusions are fitted. Further, the upper surface of the lid body 2 may be recessed in the vertical and horizontal directions with a width corresponding to the area of the recess described above. In the case of containers that do not have the above-mentioned protrusions, the spacing may be maintained by some means such as interposing spacers between the upper and lower containers and stacking them during pre-cooling by vacuum cooling.

The synthetic resin foams that are the constituent materials of the container body 1 and lid 2 include polystyrene resins, styrene resin foams such as styrene-based copolymers, polyolefin resin foams, and polyvinyl chloride resin foams. It is possible to use plastic foams and other synthetic resin foams, and in particular, it is also possible to provide a non-foamed reinforcing skin layer on the surface of the foam.

The cold storage container A of the present invention configured as described above is
This is used for pre-cooling and shipping refrigerated vegetables.When pre-cooling by vacuum cooling, vegetables B such as strawberries, spinach, lettuce, etc. are stored in the container body 1 and placed in the cooling chamber with the lid 2 covered. The containers A and A are placed side by side or stacked so as to maintain the required distance between the upper and lower containers A and A as shown in FIG. As the pressure inside the cooling chamber gradually decreases and becomes a vacuum, the pressure inside the container becomes higher than the outside, and the central part of the plate-shaped valve body 6 made of an elastic material bulges outward against the elastic force. The container is bent and deformed as shown in FIG. 4, and the ventilation holes 5 in the upper wall 3 of the lid 2 are opened and the air inside the container is gradually discharged. Thereafter, as the pressure inside the container becomes approximately the same as that in the cooling chamber, the valve body 6 returns to the state of closing the vent hole 5 due to the elastic force of the material. In this way, the vacuum state is maintained at a predetermined cooling temperature, and cooling is performed for a certain period of time depending on the type of stored vegetables B.

After this cooling, the pressure inside the cooling chamber is increased in a very short time in order to return it to normal pressure, but when this pressure is increased, the valve body 6 is in a state where the vent hole 5 is closed, and the pressure increase action Container A in vacuum state
A pressure difference occurs between the inside and the outside, and the side wall 7 of the foam container body 1 is sucked inward, as shown in Fig. 5 (Fig. 6).
As shown in the figure), if the deflection exceeds a certain level, the ventilation recess 8 formed on one side of the upper end of the side wall 7 and the inner surface of the lid body 2 that is in relative contact with this becomes in a communicating state, and the outside of the container is Since air flows into the container A through the recess 8, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container does not increase any further, and the side wall does not bend excessively. Furthermore, when the inside of the container approaches normal pressure, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container becomes smaller, the deflection of the side wall decreases, and the ventilation recess 8 is closed. As a small amount of air flows in, the pressure difference disappears over time and the container returns to its original state without bending, allowing the vegetables inside to remain cool.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, an opening 12 is provided at the upper part of the side wall of the container main body 1 in the upper part of the container, and a small opening 12 is provided with a small plug 11 that can be freely attached and removed from the outside. 5 is provided, and a valve body 6 is attached in the same manner as above. In this case, it not only achieves the same effect as described above during vacuum cooling, but also protects the items stored inside during transportation. When checking, check the small blockage 1 of the small opening 12.
1, the articles stored inside can be easily checked without opening the lid 2 by using the small opening as a viewing window.

In addition, in any of the above cases, the valve body 6 is located in the recess 4.
A device that can close the vent hole 5 when fitted is particularly suitable in terms of sealing performance and appearance, but is not limited to this and can also be attached to the outer surface of the container.

[Effects of the invention] As described above, according to the cold storage container of the invention, even if the lid is left on during pre-cooling by vacuum cooling of vegetables, the valve body provided at the top of the container will close inside and outside the container when the pressure is reduced. The ventilation hole can be opened by bending and deforming due to the pressure difference between It is possible to respond to the inward deflection of the side wall due to the pressure difference by establishing a communication state, and to prevent the side wall from deflecting beyond a certain level, pre-cooling by vacuum cooling with the lid attached can be carried out without any problems. In addition, there is no risk that the side wall of the container made of foam will bend excessively and cause cracks or the like.

Moreover, since the vegetables can be pre-cooled with the container kept in the lid-covered state as described above, the work in the pre-cooling process such as loading and unloading into and out of the cooling chamber can be simplified. Furthermore, during normal times such as during transportation, the ventilation hole is kept closed by the valve body made of an elastic material, and the ventilation recess is kept in a non-communicating state, so there is no risk of outside air entering, and the container material is made of synthetic resin foam. Coupled with the excellent heat insulation properties of the body, it is possible to maintain a cold state by pre-cooling well, and in turn, it is possible to keep stored vegetables in a fresh state for a long period of time and to protect them well.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention with the lid and container body separated, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lid fitted, and Fig. 3 is the front view. Figure-
4 is a sectional view at the time of depressurization in the cooling chamber, FIG. 5 is a sectional view at the time of pressure increase, FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the same part, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are each other A longitudinal sectional view showing the embodiment, and FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective views showing a precooling state using a conventional container. 1... Container main body, 2... Lid body, 3... Upper wall part,
4... recess, 5... vent, 6... valve body, 7...
Side wall, 8... Ventilation recess.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] 1. A container body made of synthetic resin foam and having a generally rectangular shape in plan view, and a lid body that fits outwardly against the opening edge of the container body, and has a communication line in a required area of the upper part of the container that communicates with the inside and outside of the container. A vent is provided, and a valve body made of an elastic material capable of closing the vent is attached to at least one side edge outside the area, and the vent is opened and closed by the outward elastic deformation of the valve body. The container body is further provided with a ventilation recess on one side of the upper end of at least one side wall of the container body and the inner surface of the lid body in relative contact with the upper end of the container body so that the inside and outside communicate with each other when the side wall is bent inward. A cold storage container. 2. The cold storage according to claim 1, wherein the lid has a rim that fits on the outside of the opening edge of the container, and the ventilation recess is provided inward from the rim of the lid. container. 3. The required outer area of the upper part of the container is recessed,
The cold storage container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the recess is provided with a ventilation hole, and the valve body is fitted into the recess. 4. The cold storage container according to claim 1, item 2 or 3, in which the ventilation holes are comprised of a large number of through holes.