Foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods

Abstract

Conventionally, distribution containers, particularly, corrugated cardboard containers and EPS containers, have been used as containers for conveying perishable foods. These containers are disposed as waste after the containers have been used repeatedly by a few times. The amount of these containers disposed as waste is huge, and it has been necessary to reduce the waste, from the viewpoint of resource protection and environmental protection. Particularly, in the EPS containers, bacteria are easily propagated on the inner walls. Further, in the case of the corrugated cardboard containers, they have not been satisfactory from the viewpoint of heat insulation and cooling of the contents. The present invention provides a foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods of which a foldable container main body and a lid unit covered on the upper opening of the container main body are manufactured as three-wall structures made of a transparent synthetic resin material and having two air layers.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods, comprising: a container main body formed with an approximately rectangular bottom plate for mounting perishable foods thereon, four side walls having hinge portions hinged to four side edges of said bottom plate and foldable to said bottom plate, and a holding member for holding the erection of said side wall by reinforcing said hinge portions; and a lid unit for covering an upper opening of said container main body, wherein the bottom plate and the four side walls that constitute said container main body, and said lid unit are formed as multi-layer wall structures having a plurality of air layers inside these structures respectively.  
     
     
         2 . A foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods according to  claim 1 , wherein said structures are three-wall structures having two air layers respectively.  
     
     
         3 . A foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the bottom plate and the four side walls that constitute said container main body, and said lid unit are made of a synthetic resin material.  
     
     
         4 . A foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods according to  claim 3 , wherein said synthetic resin material is polypropylene.  
     
     
         5 . A foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein a foldable inner case having a set of folding lids is mounted inside said container main body.  
     
     
         6 . A foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods according to  claim 5 , wherein said inner case is made of a material prepared by having an aluminum-deposited polyester film adhered to foamed polyethylene.  
     
     
         7 . A foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods according to any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein the four side walls foldable to said bottom plate are hinged to the adjacent side walls respectively, with two opposite side walls formed with angular hinge portions rising from both lower ends of said side walls, and said holding members for reinforcing said hinge portions are sliders.  
     
     
         8 . A foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the upper surface of said lid unit is formed with recess portions, and the lower surface of the bottom plate of said container main body is provided with projected bases that are engaged with said recess portions.  
     
     
         9 . A foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods according to any one of  claims 1  to  8 , wherein the lower surface of said bottom plate is formed in a shape to be engaged with the upper opening of said container main body.  
     
     
         10 . A foldable distribution container for conveying perishable foods according to any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the side wall of said container main body is provided with an IC card accommodation pocket capable of accommodating an IC card.