The present invention relates to lunchboxes comprising a container for food and a closure lid for closing the container in a leak-tight manner.
Lunchboxes comprising a container for food and a closure lid for closing the container in a leak-tight manner are known. Lunchboxes incorporating heating means for heating the food before consuming it are also known.
US2017/0137205A1 describes a lunchbox comprising a container for food and a closure lid for closing the container in a leak-tight manner. The lunchbox comprises electrical heating means in the container and may also comprise electrical heating means in the closure lid.
According to one embodiment a lunchbox is provided that comprises a container for food and a closure lid for closing the container in a leak-tight manner. The closure lid comprises an electrical heating means and also comprises switching means that closes to allow the passage of an electric current toward the electrical heating assembly when the food in the container is supported on the closure lid.
Provided is a new concept of a lunchbox in which the user has to turn the lunchbox upside down, supporting it on the closure lid, in order to heat the food included in the lunchbox. In this position, with the food being supported on the closure lid of the lunchbox, the passage of an electric current to the electrical heating means of the closure lid is allowed and heating of the food occurs.
These and other advantages and features will become evident in view of the drawings and detailed description.
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the switching means 5 is configured for being closed as a result of the weight of the food C in the container 2 on the closure lid 3, like in the case of the embodiment shown in the drawings. The switching means 5 preferably comprise at least two opposite conductive elements 5a and 5b which by default are separated from one another and which are configured to allow the passage of the electric current toward the heating means 4 when the weight of the food C in the container 2 acts on one of the conductive elements 5a, moving it until contacting the other conductive element 5b.
In a preferred embodiment, as shown in
The flexible sheets 6a and 6b are separated by stops 16 arranged in this embodiment in the flexible sheet 6b. When the lunchbox 1 is placed upside down and the food C rests on the closure lid 3, the flexible sheet 6a bends as a result of the weight of the food C and the conductive element 5a contacts the conductive element 5b, as seen in
The heating means 4 preferably comprise a heating resistor 8 which is in contact with one of the flexible sheets 6a or 6b of the switching means 5. In a preferred embodiment, the heating resistor 8 is screen-printed on one of the flexible sheets 6a or 6b of the switching means 5, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the closure lid 3 comprises a rigid casing 13, preferably made of plastic. The switching means 5 is arranged on an inner face of the rigid casing 13, the switching means 5 preferably being covered with a layer 14 of food-grade silicone. In a preferred embodiment, the switching means 5 is embedded in the layer 14 of food-grade silicone.
In a preferred embodiment, the lunchbox 1 also comprises safety switching means 10 arranged in series with the switching means 5 of the closure lid 3, the safety switching means 10 being configured to allow the passage of an electric current when the lunchbox 1 is closed.
The safety switching means 10 preferably comprise at least two opposite conductive elements 10a and 10b which by default are separated from one another, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the switching means 5 and the safety switching means 10 are embedded in the same layer 14 of food-grade silicone, the layer 14 comprising a perimetral seal 15 for closing the container 2 in a leak-tight manner. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment the conductive elements 10a and 10b are conducting surfaces arranged on opposite faces of the flexible sheets 6a and 6b, as shown in
The closure lid 3 preferably comprises a connector 9, not shown in
The invention also relates to a closure lid 3 like the one described which can be used with different conventional containers 2 insofar as the closure lid 3 and the container 2 have the suitable shape and dimensions for them to fit together, such that the container 2 is closed in a leak-tight manner. The closure lid 3 is therefore an accessory which converts conventional containers 2 into containers in which food can be heated.
The clauses that follow disclose additional embodiments.
Clause 1. A lunchbox comprising a container (2) for food (C) and a closure lid (3) for closing the container (2) in a leak-tight manner, the closure lid (3) comprising electrical heating means (4), the closure lid (3) comprising switching means that closes to allow the passage of an electric current toward the heating means (4) when the food (C) in the container (2) is supported on the closure lid (3).
Clause 2. The lunchbox according to clause 1, wherein the switching means (5) are configured for being closed as a result of the weight of the food (C) in the container (2) on the closure lid (3).
Clause 3. The lunchbox according to clause 2, wherein the switching means (5) comprise at least two opposite conductive elements (5a, 5b) which by default are separated from one another and which are configured to allow the passage of the electric current toward the heating means (4) when the weight of the food (C) in the container (2) acts on one of the conductive elements (5a), moving it until contacting the other conductive element (5b).
Clause 4. The lunchbox according to clause 3, wherein the switching means (5) comprise two flexible sheets (6a, 6b) arranged longitudinally in the closure lid (3), each flexible sheet (6a, 6b) comprising one of the conductive elements (5a, 5b).
Clause 5. The lunchbox according to clause 4, wherein the conductive elements (5a, 5b) are conducting surfaces arranged on opposite faces of the flexible sheets (6a, 6b).
Clause 6. The lunchbox according to clause 4 or 5, wherein the heating means (4) comprise a heating resistor (8) which is in contact with one of the flexible sheets (6a, 6b) of the switching means (5).
Clause 7. The lunchbox according to clause 6, wherein the heating resistor (8) is screen-printed on one of the flexible sheets (6a, 6b) of the switching means (5).
Clause 8. The lunchbox according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the closure lid (3) comprises a rigid casing (13), preferably made of plastic, the switching means (5) being arranged on an inner face of the rigid casing (13), and the switching means (5) being covered with a layer (14) of food-grade silicone.
Clause 9. The lunchbox according to clause 8, wherein the switching means (5) are embedded in the layer (14) of food-grade silicone.
Clause 10. The lunchbox according to any of the preceding clauses, comprising safety switching means (10) arranged in series with the switching means (5) of the closure lid (3), the safety switching means (10) being configured to allow the passage of an electric current when the lunchbox (1) is closed.
Clause 11. The lunchbox according to clause 10, wherein the safety switching means (10) comprise at least two opposite conductive elements (10a, 10b) which by default are separated from one another and which are configured to allow the passage of an electric current toward the heating means (4) when the container (2) pushes one of the conductive elements (10a) upon closing the lunchbox (1), moving the conductive element (10a) until contacting the other conductive element (10b).
Clause 12. The lunchbox according to clause 10 or 11, wherein the switching means (5) and the safety switching means (10) are embedded in one and the same layer (14) of food-grade silicone, the layer (14) comprising a perimetral seal (15) for closing the container (2) in a leak-tight manner.
Clause 13. The lunchbox according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the closure lid (3) comprises a connector (9) configured for being connected to an external power source, the switching means (5) being arranged between the connector (9) and the heating means (4).
Clause 14. A closure lid of a lunchbox (1) according to any of the preceding clauses.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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19382167.5 | Mar 2019 | EP | regional |
The present application relates to and claims the benefit and priority to International Application No. PCT/ES2020/070123, filed Feb. 20, 2020, which claims the benefit and priority to European Patent Application NO. 19382167.5, filed Mar. 5, 2019.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/ES2020/070123 | Feb 2020 | US |
Child | 17466467 | US |