Patent Application
20140212551
The novel technology relates generally to the field of food packaging, and, more particularly, to a method and system whereby food to be preserved is first freeze-dried and compressed, and then sealed in a low-oxygen environment in a glass container.
There are many reasons why storing food and other valuable items in a remote location for later consumption and/or use may be desirable. While there are many attractive long life storage containers and systems currently available, they all tend to be small and fragile. Thus, there remain needs for a storage system that can protect large volumes of food and other items for extended periods of times and under in adverse physical conditions. The present novel technology addresses these needs.
The present novel technology relates to a method and system whereby food to be preserved for indefinitely long periods of time is first packaged or freeze-dried and then sealed in a low-oxygen/low-moisture environment in a high density polyethylene container. One object of the present novel technology is to provide an improved food preservation system. Related objects and advantages of the present novel technology will be apparent from the following description.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the novel technology and presenting its currently understood best mode of operation, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the novel technology is thereby intended, with such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the novel technology as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the novel technology relates.
In operation, the sealing process 100 begins with one or more food packages 18 (which may more generally include any package or item that is desired to be protected) being placed into the canister or barrel portion 22. The canister or barrel portion 22 is typically cylindrical (more typically a unitary wall defining a cylinder having a bottom portion but no top lid portion), but may be of any convenient shape. More typically, the barrel portion 22 is between about eighteen and about forty-eight inches tall, still more typically between about thirty and about thirty-six inches tall, although the cylinder may be of other convenient dimensions. Next, a heat source, typically a double sided hot plate 105, is preheated to a desired temperature sufficient to soften the container and lid material and then positioned in snug thermal contact 110 with the lid portion 24 and the rim portion 25. The portions 24, 25 may be pressed 115 against the heat source 105 with moderate to high pressure. The heat source 105 is energized 120, the applied pressure is typically reduced 122, and the lid and rim portions 24, 25 are partially melted 125 to define molten lid and rim portions 130, 135. The heat source is typically controlled so as to not overheat the HDPE, HMWP or like material and thus degrade its structural integrity. The heat source 105 is then removed 140, and the molten lid and rim portions 130, 135 are introduced to one another under sufficiently high pressure 145 to fuse 150 the lid portion 130 to the rim portion 135 (and thus to the container portion 22) to define a sealed container system 10.
The hot plate 105 typically includes an electric heating element 160 positioned between a pair of thermally conducting disks 165 (typically, an anodized aluminum outer ring portion with an insulating ceramic center portion, such as perlite concrete or the like) connected in thermal communication therewith. The disks 165 more typically include an insulating nonstick layer 170, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), on the surfaces opposite the heating element 160. The disks 165 assist in transferring sufficient heat directly to the portions 130, 135 to render them molten, without overheating the contents 18 of the container 20.
When desired, the system 10 may be accessed by breaking or removing the lid portion 24 from the canister portion 22, such as with a pruning saw or powered circular saw or the like, or otherwise penetrating the container 20. The contents 18 may then be removed and used.
One or more packages 18 are placed 200 into a one-quarter inch thick HDPE barrel 22 about thirty inches high and having a diameter of about twenty four inches. A quarter-inch thick HDPE lid portion 24 is provided, wherein the lid portion 24 has a diameter of about twenty-four inches. A double sided hot plate heat source 105 including an electric heating element 160 positioned between a pair of thermally conducting disks 165 is positioned in snug thermal contact 110 with the lid portion 24 and the rim portion 25 of the barrel 22. The portions 24, 25 are pressed 115 against the respective disks 165 under 950 PSI for about 1 minute. The pressure is decreased 122 to 450 PSI. The heat source 105 is energized 120 and preheated, and then engaged to heat the rim portion 25 and the lid portion 24 sufficiently to soften and partially melt 125 the lid and rim portions 24, 25 to define molten lid and rim portions 130, 135. This requires a heat soak of about 1 minute, forty-five seconds. The heat source 105 is then quickly removed 140 (taking a total of about 10 seconds) and the molten lid and rim portions 130, 135 are immediately introduced 215 to one another and pressed against one another under pressure ramped up to 950 PSI over a period of about thirty seconds 220 to fuse 150 the lid portion 130 to the rim portion 135 (and thus to the container portion 22) to define a sealed container system 10. It takes about 15-45 seconds, more typically about 30 seconds, to ramp the pressure up to 950, where the pressure remains applied for at least another two minutes and fifteen seconds, typically for about three more minutes. Once sealed, the system 10 is tested to withstand at least about 6 PSI pressure. The sealed container system 10 is typically stored for future use, such as warehoused or buried to a depth of at least about three to four feet (below the depth threshold wherein temperature is relatively constant year round to take advantage of a constant storage temperature of about fifty four degrees Fahrenheit), and, if desired, up to a depth of about thirty feet or more. The container system 10 is typically cylindrical to facilitate easy movement by rolling, and more typically features a corrugated outer surface to provide additional structural support.
While the novel technology has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that the embodiments have been shown and described in the foregoing specification in satisfaction of the best mode and enablement requirements. It is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art could readily make a nigh-infinite number of insubstantial changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments and that it would be impractical to attempt to describe all such embodiment variations in the present specification. Accordingly, it is understood that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the novel technology are desired to be protected.
