INNER MEMBER FOR CONTAINING WOUND WRAPPING FILM AND WRAPPING FILM PRODUCT PROVIDED WITH SAME

Abstract

A inner member for an easy handling operation of a wrapping film to be used for wrapping food is formed by a body part 11 and a pinch part 13. The body part 11 includes an upper piece 11a, a front piece 11b and a lower piece 11c for surrounding a wound wrapping film 20, thereby forming a substantially U-shape cross section. The body part 11 further includes at a rear surface thereof a rear opening 11d through which the wound wrapping film 20 passes. The upper piece 11a is provided at a rear end thereof with a guide portion 12 having a substantially circular cross section. The pinch part 13 is swingably projected from a front upper end of the body part 11 and is positioned between a front wall 31 of a film storage box 31 and a vertical lid part 32a of a lid 32.

Claims

1. An inner member (10) detachably provided between a film storage box (30) and a wound wrapping film (20) stored in the film storage box for an easy handling operation of the wrapping film to be used for wrapping food, the film storage box comprising a box body (31) and a lid (32) integrally formed with the box body, the box body including a front wall (31a), the lid (32) including a vertical lid part (32a), the vertical lid part covering an upper portion of a front surface of the front wall and including at a lower end of the vertical lid part a cutting blade (33), the inner member comprising: a body part (11), the body part including an upper piece (11a), a front piece (lib) and a lower piece (11c) for surrounding respectively an upper part, a front part and a lower part of the wound wrapping film, the body part thereby having a substantially U-shape cross section, the body part further including at a rear surface thereof a rear opening (11d) through which the wound wrapping film passes through, the body part further including at a rear end of the upper piece a guide portion (12), the guide portion having a substantially circular cross section for allowing a smooth passage of the wrapping film; and a pinch part (13), the pinch part swingably projected from an upper front end of the body part, the pinch part being positioned between the front wall of the box body and the vertical lid part of the lid, the pinch part having a front surface (13a) on which a front end (20a) of the wrapping film is to be positioned.

2. A wrapping film product comprising: a wound wrapping film (20) for wrapping food; a film storage box (30) including a box body (31) and a lid (32) integrally formed with the box body, the box body including a front wall (31a), the lid including a vertical lid part (32a) provided at a lower end thereof with a cutting blade (33), the film storage box storing the wrapping film; and an inner member (10) detachably provided between the film storage box and the wound wrapping film for an easy handling operation of the wound wrapping film, wherein the inner member including: a body part (11), the body part including an upper piece (11a), a front piece (11b) and a lower piece (11c) for surrounding respectively an upper part, a front part and a lower part of the wound wrapping film, the body part thereby having a substantially U-shape cross section, the body part further including at a rear surface thereof a rear opening (11d) through which the wound wrapping film passes through, the body part further including at a rear end of the upper piece a guide portion (12), the guide portion having a substantially circular cross section for a smooth passage of the wrapping film; and a pinch part (13), the pinch part swingably projected from an upper front end of the body part, the pinch part being positioned between the front wall of the box body and the vertical lid part of the lid, the pinch part having a front surface (13) on which a front end (20a) of the wrapping film is positioned.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a wrapping film product according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view along the line X-X in FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an inner member for a wound wrapping film according an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the wrapping film product shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the wrapping film is being pulled out.

[0026] FIG. 5(a) and (b) are enlarged side views of a principal part of the wrapping film product shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the wrapping film is being pulled out.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates an inner member 10 for a wound wrapping film according to an embodiment of the present invention. A wrapping film product 1 provided with the inner member 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The inner member 10 is aimed to enhance the handling operation of a wound wrapping film 20 arranged to wrap food and stored in a film storage box 30. The film storage box 30 includes a box body 31 and a lid 32. The box body 31 has a front wall 31a. The lid 32 has a vertical lid part 32a that covers an upper part of a front surface of the front wall 31a and that is provided at a lower end thereof with a cutting blade 33 having a sawtooth waveform.

[0028] The inner member 10 can be detachably provided between the film storage box 30 and the wound wrapping film 20 and configured to include a body part 11 and a pinch part 13. The inner member 10 may be made of any forming material, including and not exclusive, for example, paper or resin with a smooth surface.

[0029] The body part 11 is configured to surround an upper part, a front part and a bottom part of the wound wrapping film 20, and includes an upper piece 11a, a front piece 11b and a bottom piece 11c, together forming a U-shape cross section. The body part 11 has at a rear surface thereof a rear opening lid that allows the wound wrapping film to pass therethrough. The upper piece 11a is provided at a rear end thereof with a guide portion 12 that has a substantially circular cross section and functions to allow an easy passage of the wound wrapping film 20. The guide portion 12 and the upper piece 11a each have a smooth upper surface.

[0030] The pinch part 13 is configured to project from a front upper end of the body part 11 and is able to swing about the base portion of the pinch part 13 in an up-and-down direction. The pinch part 13 is disposed between the front wall 31a of the box body 31 and the vertical lid part 32a of the lid 32. The pinch part 13 receives at a front surface 13a thereof a front end 20a of the wrapping film 20. The front surface 13a of the pinch part 13 also has a smooth plane.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wrapping film product 1 provided with the inner member 10 includes, in addition to the inner member 10, a wound wrapping film 20 for wrapping food and a film storage box 30.

[0032] The wound wrapping film 20 includes a tubular core 21 made of paper and a transparent wrapping film, the film having a length of 20 to 40 meters and wound around the core 21.

[0033] The film storage box 30 includes a box body 31 and a lid 32. The box body 31 includes a front wall 31a, a bottom wall 31b, a rear wall 31c and two side walls 31d, which together form a longitudinal rectangular shape in a plan view. The lid 32 is integrally formed with the box body 31 and includes a horizontal lid part 32b and a vertical lid part 32a. The horizontal lid part 32b covers an upper surface of the box body 31. The vertical lid part 32a protrudes downward from the front end of the horizontal lid part 32b and covers an upper part of a front surface of the front wall 31a. The vertical lid part 32a is provided with a cutting blade 33 at a lower end of the vertical lid part 32a.

[0034] Similar to the film storage box 30, the inner member 10 is made of paper and is, as described above, detachably provided between the film storage box 30 and the wound wrapping film 20. The inner member 10 has a configuration similar to the one described abovementioned embodiment. The pinch part 13 of the inner member 10 has a length slightly greater than that of the vertical lid part 32a of the film storage box 30, thereby allowing the cutting blade 33 to come to contact with the front surface 13a of the pinch part 13 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). With such an arrangement, it becomes possible to readily cut a wrapping film 20.

[0035] The effects of the inner member 10 for a wound wrapping film and the wrapping film product 1 in accordance with the abovementioned embodiment will be described below.

[0036] The wound wrapping film 20 is used in such a manner that first the wrapping film product 1 according to the embodiment is unsealed (or in the case where a wrapping film product commercially available is used, the wrapping film product commercially available is unsealed and the inner member 10 according to the embodiment is installed thereto), then the wrapping film 20 is pulled out in accordance with a predetermined operation. With this pulling out operation, the wrapping film 20 being pulled out smoothly passes through the rear opening 11d, the guide portion 12, the upper piece 11a, and the front surface 13a of the pinch part 13.

[0037] The wrapping film 20 being pulled out and passed through these components is cut in such a manner that the vertical lid part 32a of the film storage box 30 is press-pushed against the front wall 31a of the film storage box 30 so as to cut the film 20 by the cutting blade 33 provided to the lower end of the vertical lid part 32a. In this instance, the pinch part 13 of the inner member 10 is positioned between the front wall 31a and the vertical lid part 32a of the film storage box 30, and the wrapping film 20 is positioned on the front surface 13a of the pinch part 13. Thus, the wrapping film 20 is firmly and stably held between the vertical lid part 32a and a combination of the pinch part 13 and the front wall 31a.

[0038] Accordingly, the wrapping film 20 can be readily, properly and completely cut by the cutting blade 33 provided to the lower end of the vertical lid part 32a without any midway cutting failure or interruption. In addition, no gap is allowed to be formed between the vertical lid part 32a and the combination of the pinch part 13 and the front wall 31a, which can prevent such an incidence that a finger accidentally enters a gap and is hooked by the cutting blade 33. This can provide improved safety.

[0039] Thus cut wrapping film 20 has a front end 20a positioned between the vertical lid part 32a and the pinch part 13 (that is, the front end 20a is placed on the front surface 13a of the pinch part 13) (see FIG. 2). In order to further pull out the wrapping film 20 in this condition, the lid 32 of the film storage box 30 is opened, and two fingers (thumb T and index finger F), for example, are used to pinch, together with the pinch part 13, the front end 20a of the wrapping film 20 positioned on the pinch part 13 and pull them out together (see FIG. 4). Here, the pinch part 13 is configured to be swingable, so that the pinch part 13 is swung into a position easily pinched. This allows an easier pinching operation.

[0040] Then, the wrapping film 20 and the pinch part 13 are together pulled. This pulling out operation allows only the wrapping film 20 to be readily pulled out since the pinch part 13 is unmovably secured to the body part 11 (see FIG. 5) . Fora subsequent cutting operation, the lid 32 of the film storage box 30 is closed and the cutting blade 33 is used for cutting the film 20, as described above.

[0041] After cutting, the front end 20a of the wrapping film 20 is positioned on the front surface 13a of the pinch part 13, as described above. In addition, the wrapping film 20 is covered, at the upper part thereof, by the upper piece 11a. Thus, even if the wrapping film 20 is slightly wound back accidentally, it becomes possible to surely prevent the front end 20a from being wound around the body part (tubular portion) of the wound wrapping film 20 and from being attached to the body part.

[0042] It should be noted that in this embodiment the inner member 10 is provided with the guide portion 12, and the guide portion 12 has a smooth upper surface while the pinch part 13 has a smooth front surface 13a (upper surface). These arrangements allow an easy and smooth pulling out operation of the wrapping film 20.

[0043] In addition, the inner member 10 is provided with the upper piece 11b and the lower piece 11c surrounding the front and lower portions of the wound wrapping film 20, so that the wound wrapping film 20 can be stored in the film storage box 30 in a stable posture.

[0044] The inner member 10 for a wound wrapping film and the wrapping film product 1 including the inner member 10 provide the following effects.

[0045] (1) The inner member 10 is provided with the pinch part 13, and the pinch part 13 is positioned between the front wall 31a and the vertical lid part 32a of the film storage box 30. This arrangement allows an easy, proper and complete cutting operation of the wrapping film 20 by the cutting blade 33 without any midway cutting failure or interruption.

[0046] (2) The pinch part 13 of the inner member 10 is provided with the length that is slightly greater than that of the vertical lid part 32a of the film storage box 30, and the cutting blade 33 is arranged to contact the front surface 13a of the pinch part 13. This permits an easy cutting operation of the wrapping film 20.

[0047] (3) The pinch part 13 being provided functions to eliminate any gap that will otherwise be formed between the vertical lid part 32a provided with the cutting blade 33 and the front wall 31a. This configuration prevents the cutting blade 33 from adversely hooking a finger, thereby providing improved safety.

[0048] (4) The front end 20a of the wrapping film 20 is positioned on the front surface 13a of the pinch part 13, so that the front end 20a can be readily pinched and pulled out.

[0049] (5) The inner member 10 is provided with the guide portion 12 with a circular cross section, thereby allowing an easy pulling out operation of the wrapping film 20 through the rear opening 11d.

[0050] (6) The guide portion 12, the upper piece 11a and the front surface 13 of the pinch part 13 each have a smooth surface, so that the wrapping film 20 can be smoothly and readily pulled out.

[0051] (7) The inner member 10 is provided with the front piece 11b and the lower piece 11c, whereby the wrapping film 20 can be stored in the film storage box 30 in a stable posture.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0052] 1: wrapping film product

[0053] 10: inner member

[0054] 11: body part

[0055] 11a: upper piece

[0056] 11b: front piece

[0057] 11c: lower piece

[0058] 11d: rear opening

[0059] 12: guide portion

[0060] 13: pinch part

[0061] 13a: front surface

[0062] 20: wrapping film

[0063] 20a: front end

[0064] 21: core

[0065] 30: film storage box

[0066] 31: box body

[0067] 31a: side wall

[0068] 31b: bottom wall

[0069] 31c: rear wall

[0070] 31d: side wall

[0071] 32: lid

[0072] 32a: vertical lid part

[0073] 32b: horizontal lid part

[0074] 33: cutting blade

[0075] F: index finger

[0076] T: thumb