TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a beverage container.
BACKGROUND ART
Beverage containers such as teacups and cups may be stacked and stored after being washed by a high temperature dishwasher after use, for example (e.g., Patent Literature 1).
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
- Patent Literature 1: Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3114290
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
However, when a plurality of beverage containers are stacked, upper openings of the containers are closed, which brings inner spaces of the containers into a sealed state. For this reason, the smell of detergent may remain, and moisture vapor remaining in the inner spaces may appear as waterdrops once the moisture vapor has cooled. The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage container capable of suppressing cases in which a smell remains or waterdrops attach to the containers even when stacked after being washed, for example.
Solution to Problem
A beverage container according to the present invention includes a bottom wall portion, and a side wall portion extending upward from a circumferential edge of the bottom wall portion, wherein, due to an outer diameter of the bottom wall portion being formed smaller than an outer diameter of the side wall portion, an annular stepped portion is formed at a lower end of the side wall portion, the step portion is provided with a plurality of recessed portions and a plurality of protruding portions that are alternately arranged in a circumferential direction, and a width of the stepped portion is larger than a width of an upper end of the side wall portion at at least portions where the recessed portions are formed.
In the above beverage container, the width of the stepped portion may be substantially the same as the width of the upper end of the side wall portion at portions where the protruding portions are formed.
In the above beverage container, a depression may be formed in a lower surface of the bottom wall portion, and grooves that bring an outer circumferential surface of the bottom wall portion into communication with the depression may be respectively formed at portions where the recessed portions are formed.
In the above beverage container, a configuration is also possible in which an annular elevation that downwardly extends from the lower surface of the bottom wall portion and has an outer diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter of the bottom wall portion.
In the above beverage container, a configuration is possible in which an annular elevation that downwardly extends from the lower surface of the bottom wall portion and has the outer diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the bottom wall portion, and gaps that are continuous with the grooves are formed at respective portions corresponding to the grooves.
In the above beverage container, the recessed portions and the protruding portions may be formed into a continuous wave shape in a side view.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
According to the present invention, even when the beverage containers are stacked after being washed, cases in which a smell remains or waterdrops are attached can be suppressed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment in which a beverage container according to the present invention is applied to a teacup.
FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a bottom view of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which two of the teacups shown in FIG. 1 are stacked.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which two of the teacups shown in FIG. 1 are stacked.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the teacup on the upper side in FIG. 6 as seen from below.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the beverage container according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the beverage container according to the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a side view showing another example of recessed portions and protruding portions.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a beverage container according to the present invention is applied to a beverage container will be described with reference to the drawings.
1. Structure of Teacup
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a teacup according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a bottom view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the teacup according to the present embodiment includes a disc-like bottom wall portion 1, a cylindrical side wall portion 2 extending upward from a circumferential edge of the bottom wall portion 1, and an annular elevation 3 extending downward from a lower surface of the bottom wall portion 1, which are integrally formed in one piece. An inner space 100 surrounded by the bottom wall portion 1 and the side wall portion 2 is configured to accommodate a beverage such as tea. The material that forms the teacup is not particularly limited, but may be a resin material, porcelain, metal, glass, or the like, for example.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the outer diameter of the bottom wall portion 1 is smaller than the outer diameter of the side wall portion 2, thereby forming an annular stepped portion 21 that faces downward at a bottom end of the side wall portion 2. The stepped portion 21 is formed by recessed portions 211 and protruding portions 212 alternately arranged in the circumferential direction, and in the present embodiment, three recessed portions 211 and three protruding portions 212 are alternately arranged. The recessed portions 211 and the protruding portions 212 are formed into a continuous wave shape in a side view. Accordingly, the recessed portions 211 are each formed in an upward protruding arc-like shape, and the protruding portions 212 are each formed in a downward protruding arc-like shape.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a circular depression 11 is formed at the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 1, and the elevation 3 extends downward from the outer circumference of the depression 11. Specifically, an inner circumferential surface of the elevation 3 corresponds to an inner circumferential surface of the depression 11. Also, the outer diameter of the elevation 3 is smaller than the outer diameter of the bottom wall portion 1.
Also, in the bottom wall portion 1, a groove 12 extending in the radial direction is formed at each portion corresponding to the recessed portions 211, and the depression 11 and an outer circumferential surface of the bottom wall portion 1 are in communication with each other via the grooves 12. The grooves 12 each have an arc-like shape in a side view, and as shown in FIG. 5, the depth of the grooves 12 is the same as the depth of the depression 11.
As shown in FIG. 4, a radial width of the stepped portion 21 is larger at portions where the recessed portions 211 are formed, and smaller at portions where the protruding portions 212 are formed. Specifically, a width a of the stepped portions of the portions where the recessed portions 211 are formed is larger than a width c of an upper end portion of the side wall portion 2. On the other hand, a width b of the stepped portion 21 of the portions where the protruding portions 212 are formed is smaller than the width a, and the same as or slightly larger than the width c (e.g., larger by 1 mm or less, such as 0.1 to 0.5 mm). The width of the stepped portion 21 smoothly changes between the portions 211, which have the largest width, and the portions 212, which have the smallest width.
2. Usage of Teacup
The teacups as described above are returned after use and washed by being sprayed with high-temperature wash water by a washing machine, or the like. Thereafter, a plurality of teacups are stacked and stored. FIGS. 6 and 7 show an example in which two teacups are stacked. In the following description, for illustrative reasons, the teacup on the lower side is referred to as a first teacup 10A and the teacup on the upper side is referred to as a second teacup 10B.
In order to stack the two teacups 10A and 10B, the upper end of the side wall portion of the first teacup 10A is brought into contact with the stepped portion 21 of the second teacup 10B. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the stacked second teacup as seen from below. As described above, since the width a of the stepped portion 21 of the portions where the recessed portions 211 are formed is wide, as shown in FIG. 8 for example, gaps X are formed between an inner circumferential surface of the upper end (hatched part) of the side wall portion 2 of the first teacup 10A and the outer circumferential surface of the bottom wall portion 1 of the second teacup 10B. On the other hand, since the width b of the stepped portion 21 of the portions where the protruding portions 212 are formed is substantially the same as the width c of the upper end portion of the side wall portion 2 of the first teacup 10A, there is almost no gap between the inner circumferential surface of the upper end (hatched part) of the side wall portion 2 of the first teacup 10A and the outer circumferential surface of the bottom wall portion 1 of the second teacup 10B.
Also, as shown in FIG. 6, since the recessed portions 211 and the protruding portions 212 are formed at the stepped portion 21, the upper end of the side wall portion 2 of the first teacup 10A is in contact with the protruding portions 212 of the second teacup 10B, and gaps Y are formed between the upper end of the side wall portion 2 of the first teacup 10A and the recessed portions 211 of the second teacup 10B.
Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7, when the two teacups 10A and 10B are stacked, the inner space 100 of the first teacup 10A is in communication with the outside via the gaps X and Y, the groove 12, and gaps 31, thereby making it possible to discharge the air inside the inner space 100 to the outside.
3. Features
As described above, according to the teacup according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be achieved.
(1) As shown in FIG. 7, since the inner space 100 of the first teacup 10A is in communication with the outside via the gaps X, Y, and the groove 12, and the gaps 31, the air circulates therebetween, even if the upper opening of the first teacup 10A after washing is closed by the second teacup 10B, cases such as a smell remaining in the first teacup 10A and waterdrops attaching to the first teacup 10A due to moisture vapor remaining can be prevented.
(2) Since the recessed portions 211 and the protruding portions 212 of the stepped portion 21 are formed in a continuous wave shape in a side view, the design is improved. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, since the protruding portions 212 of the second teacup 10B and the upper end of the first teacup 10A are in point contact with each other in a side view, the gaps between the recessed portions 211 and the upper end of the side wall portion 2 can be increased. As a result, air can easily flow between the inner space of the first teacup and the outside.
4. Variations
Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. Note that the following variations can be combined as appropriate.
(1) Although the elevation 3 is provided at the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 1 in the above embodiment, the elevation 3 is not necessarily needed, and the elevation can be omitted as shown in FIG. 9, for example. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the depression in the bottom wall portion 1 can be omitted. With this configuration as well, the above gaps X and Y are formed, and thus, even when a plurality of teacups are stacked, the inner spaces of the teacups 100 can be in communication with the outside. Note that the shape and height of the elevation 3 are not particularly limited, and the elevation 3 may have a shape other than an annular shape.
(2) As shown in FIG. 4, in the above embodiment, the width of the stepped portion 21 is wider at the portions where the recessed portions 211 are formed and narrower at the portions where the protruding portions 212 are formed. However, in order to form a path to the inner space 100, it is sufficient that the width of the stepped portion 21 is larger than the width of the upper end of the side wall portion 2 at at least the portions where the recessed portions 211 are formed. For example, the entire width of the stepped portions 21 can be wider than the width of the upper end of the side wall portion 2. Note that, as in the above embodiment, when the width b of the portions where the protruding portions 212 are formed is substantially the same as the width c of the upper end of the side wall portion 2, the upper end of the side wall portion 2 and the outer circumferential surface of the bottom wall portion 1 oppose each other with a slight gap therebetween, and thus displacement of the two portions can be prevented.
(3) The number, depth, and width of the grooves 12 of the bottom wall portion 1 are not particularly limited, and it is sufficient that the outer circumferential surface of the bottom wall portion 1 is in communication with the depression 11.
(4) The recessed portions 211 and the protruding portions 212 of the stepped portion 21 need not have a wave shape in a side view, and the shape is not particularly limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the recessed portions 211 and the protruding portions 212 may be formed in a rectangle in a side view, as long as gaps in communication with the inner space 100 are formed between upper and lower teacups due to the recessed portions 211. Accordingly, the numbers of the recessed portions 211 and the protruding portions 212 are not particularly limited, as long as a plurality of the recessed portions 211 and the protruding portions 212 are formed.
(5) In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the beverage container of the present invention is applied to a teacup, but the beverage container may be used as a beverage glass, and the material of the container, the outer diameter, height, thickness of the side wall portion 2, the outer diameter, thickness of the bottom wall portion 1 and the like may be changed as appropriate. Also, the bottom wall portion 1 and the side wall portion 2 may have a shape other than a cylindrical shape, such as a polygonal shape.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 Bottom wall portion
11 Depression
12 Groove
2 Side wall portion
21 Stepped portion
211 Recessed portion
212 Protruding portion
3 Elevation
31 Gap
Patent Application
20240081564
