Patent Application
20200138238
The present disclosure relates generally to methods for prolonging the quality of food. In particular, methods for prolonging the quality of warm foods are described.
Restaurants and on-demand delivery services regularly deliver food to customers at their homes, offices, or other off-site locations and demand for food delivery is growing. Take-out food orders are also popular. Take-out and home delivery food orders share the challenge of maintaining the quality of ordered food as it is transported from the restaurant to the location where the customer desires to consume the food. The quality of food can also diminish in the time it takes for a customer to pick up or consume the food after it is prepared.
Customers expect the food they order to be of high quality wherever and whenever they elect to consume the food. Those preparing food want the food to remain high quality despite the time necessary to transfer food from the restaurant to the customer's desired location or despite the time it rakes for a customer to pick up or consume the food after it is prepared. In the case of foods traditionally served warm, customers also expect the food to remain warm when delivered to their chosen off-site location or until they pick up the food they ordered.
However, with conventional methods of delivering food, food can sometimes arrive at off-site locations at less than optimal quality. For example, hot food may be cold, crispy chips may be stale, and otherwise plump sandwiches may be squashed.
Existing methods for holding or delivering food after it is prepared fail to adequately maintain the temperature of the food within acceptable ranges over the time periods needed. For example, placing warm food in boxes or plastic containers allows the food to quickly cool to sub-optimal temperatures. Placing warm food in insulated containers or sleeves slows the rate of cooling, but the food still cools below optimal levels too quickly for many take-out and delivery order scenarios. Placing food in ovens allows food to be maintained at a desired temperature, but conventional ovens are often not configured to be easily transported in delivery vehicles.
Another significant limitation of conventional methods for maintaining food quality is that they do not adequately manage moisture levels in the environment surrounding the food. Subjecting food to moist environments can cause the food to become soggy and/or chewy. Excess moisture can also cause food to degrade or spoil.
Delivering pizza is one scenario where managing moisture surrounding the food is crucial. When delivering pizza, the pizza is typically placed inside a box and the box is placed inside an insulated bag to keep the pizza warm. The insulated bag and conventional box tend to trap steam and moisture escaping from the pizza within the box, which causes the moisture levels within the box to increase. The increased moisture in the box tends to make the pizza soggy and the crust chewy. French fries represent another type of food where maintaining an environment with proper temperature and moisture levels is crucial for prolonging the quality of the food.
Thus, there exists a need for methods that improve upon and advance the design of known methods. Examples of new and useful methods relevant to the needs existing in the held are discussed below.
The present disclosure is directed to methods for prolonging the quality of a warm food item after the warm food item us prepared, the methods including the steps of placing the warm food item in a thermally insulated enclosure, maintaining the temperature in the thermally insulated enclosure within a predetermined temperature range based on the type of warm food item, maintaining the temperature in the thermally insulated enclosure by blowing heated air over the warm food item, and maintaining the moisture level within the thermally insulated enclosure within a predetermined moisture range based on the type of warm food item.
The disclosed methods will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide merely examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations; however, for the sake of brevity, each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description.
Throughout the following detailed description, examples of various methods are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in an example explained previously. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example.
Definitions
The following definitions apply herein, unless otherwise indicated.
“Substantially” means to be more-or-less conforming to the particular dimension, range, shape, concept, or other aspect modified by the term, such that a feature or component need not conform exactly. For example, a “substantially cylindrical” object means that the object resembles a cylinder, but may have one or more deviations from a true cylinder.
“Comprising,” “including,” and “having” (and conjugations thereof) are used interchangeably to mean including but not necessarily limited to, and are open-ended terms not intended to exclude additional, elements or method steps not expressly recited.
Terms such as “first”, “second”, and “third” are used to distinguish or identify various members of a group, or the like, and are not intended to denote a serial, chronological, or numerical limitation.
“Coupled” means connected, either permanently or releasably, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components.
Food Item
A wide variety of food items are served warm and are prone to diminish in quality as time elapses after they are prepared and/or as their temperature decreases. The methods for prolonging quality of warm fowls contemplate more foods than can be reasonably listed. A sample of foods for which the methods below are intended to prolong their quality include hamburgers, country fried steak, fried chicken, fried fish, fried shrimp, fried pork chops, fried tofu, fried veggies, French fries, tater tots, fried sweet potatoes, breads, pizza, calzones, pizza rolls, fried cheeses, potato chips, onions rings, corn dogs, toasted ravioli, chicken fried bacon, fried peanuts, fried spam, fried fruits, fried candy bars, sandwiches, fried turkey, fried wild game, fried insects, hash browns, home fries, fried dough, coffee, tortilla shells, fried rice, rice, deep fried pasta, pasta, pita, pica chips, pancakes, waffles, toast, crepes, omelets, souffles, hot dogs, sausages, brats, bagels, English muffins, chimichanga, churros, egg rolls, funnel cakes, pasties, Scotch eggs, wontons, crab Rangpons, Rocky Mountain oysters, fried pickles, cakes, brownies, and cookies. The methods discussed herein may be used on any currently known or later developed type or variety of food item that is subject to diminishing quality after being prepared.
Method for Prolonging the Quality of Warm Foods
With reference to the figures, methods for prolonging the quality of warm foods will now be described. The methods discussed herein function to prolong the quality of warm food items, such as when delivering food to customers or when waiting for customers to pick up food items they ordered to take out. Additionally or alternatively, the present methods function to prolong the quality of warm food items when waiting to serve food items to dine-in customers or to people at a catered event. Another application for the present methods is to prolong the quality of food when transporting or waiting to serve the food to friends and family.
The reader will appreciate from the figures and description below that the presently disclosed methods address the shortcomings of conventional methods. For example, unlike some methods that allow food to cool down over time, the present methods maintain food at warm temperatures for as long as needed. Further, the present methods allow for the food to be maintained at a desired temperature for relevant timeframes while transporting the food item to a remote location in contrast to conventional methods that utilize ovens fixed in place to keep food warm.
Beyond maintaining the warmth of food items, the methods discussed herein maintain the desirable attributes of food items that consumers expect. For example, the methods described here maintain the crispiness of foods intended to be crispy in contrast to conventional methods that generally allow crispy foods to become limp, soggy, and stale. The present methods also function to maintain the expected levels of chewiness and moistness of the food items.
The methods described herein have been observed to maintain food at acceptable quality levels for sixty minutes or more. Food will typically degrade in quality over extended periods of time after being freshly prepared. The present methods are effective to significantly extend the time that food remains at a high level of quality after being prepared.
The methods presented below effectively manage moisture levels in the environment surrounding the food unlike conventional methods. By maintaining an environment with proper moisture levels, the present methods avoid the food becoming soggy and/or chewy. Not exposing the food to excess moisture also helps avoid the food degrading or spoiling.
With reference to
In other examples, the method includes additional or alternative steps, such as transporting the warm food item to a location remote from where the warm food item was prepared, such as shown in
Placing thy Warm Food item in a Thermally Insulated Enclosure
In some examples, placing the warm food item in a thermally insulated enclosure at step 102 includes placing the warm food item in a thermally insulated enclosure specially configured for use with method 100. In other examples of the thermally insulated enclosure is not specially configured for use with the methods described herein and instead provides a thermally insulated environment for the food and accommodates the method steps described herein. The thermally insulated enclosure may be any currently known or later developed enclosure configured to thermally insulate contents within the enclosure.
In examples where the thermally insulated enclosure is specially configured for use with the methods described herein, the thermally insulated enclosure may include an enclosure configured to receive the warm food item, a door, a convection heat source, a radiant heat source, and a ventilation system.
The enclosure may include a floor, a ceiling opposite the floor, and sidewalls extending from the floor to the ceiling and defining an opening. The sidewalls, the floor, and the ceiling may collectively define an interior void of the enclosure.
The door may be operatively connected to the sidewalls proximate the opening. The door may be configured to selectively move to an open position where the door docs not cover the opening to provide access to the interior void through the opening and a closed position where the door covers the opening.
The convection heat source may be mounted inside the enclosure and configured to direct heated air within the enclosure. The radiant heat source may be mounted inside the enclosure and configured to irradiate the enclosure and the warm food item received in the enclosure. The ventilation system may be mounted to the enclosure and configured to move air into, out of, and through the enclosure.
In some examples, the enclosure includes additional or alternative features, such as thermometers and hygrometers to measure temperature and humidity levels in the enclosure. In some examples, the enclosure includes electronics, such as computing devices, displays, audio devices, communication devices, location devices, and user interface devices to control, communicate, and process conditions in the enclosure as well as to report the position of the enclosure.
For example, the enclosure may include Bluetooth communication devices to communicate data about the enclosure and conditions within the enclosure, such as temperature, humidity, and air flow rates. The enclosure may include a global positioning system to facilitate tracking the geographic position of the enclosure. In some examples, the enclosure includes artificial intelligence to recognize food items and to facilitate automatically adjusting temperature and air flow rate parameters within the enclosure.
The enclosure may include a display screen and a user interface to allow users to adjust temperatures, air flow rates, and humidity level set points, and to select the type of food placed within the enclosure. The enclosure may additionally or alternatively include seat belt straps configured to secure the enclosure to a given delivery vehicle.
In some examples, placing the warm food item in a thermally insulated enclosure at step 102 includes placing the warm food item in a container and then placing the container containing the warm food item in the thermally insulated enclosure. The container may be specially configured to facilitate the methods described nerve or may be any currently known or later developed container suitable for containing food.
In examples where the container is specially configured for the present methods, the container may include a base, a lid, a platform, and a riser. In some examples, the container does not include a platform and/or a riser. In examples without the riser, the platform may be supported on raised portions of the base or the platform may include legs elevating the platform from the base. In some examples, the bottom of the base serves in place of a separate platform, such as by elevating the food above other portions of the bottom of the base.
In other examples, the container includes additional or alternative features, such as thermometers and hygrometers to measure temperature and humidity levels in the container. In some examples, the container includes electronics, such as computing devices, displays, audio devices, communication devices, location devices, and user interface devices to control, communicate, and process conditions in the container as well as to report the position of the container.
Maintaining the Temperature in the Thermally Insulated Enclosure
In the methods 100 example, maintaining the temperature in the thermally insulated enclosure within a predetermined temperature range at step 104 includes basing the predetermined temperature range on the type of warm food item in the thermally insulated enclosure. The inventors have discovered that the quality of different types of food can be more effectively prolonged by maintaining the temperature of the food items within temperature ranges specific to the particular type of food.
For example, when the warm food item is a pizza pie, the temperature range determined to be effective to prolong the quality of the pizza pie is between 140 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit. A preferred temperature range for prolonging the quality of a pizza pie was determined to be between 180 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
As another example, when the warm food item is French fries the temperature range determined to be effective to prolong the quality of the French fries is between 150 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit. A preferred temperature range for prolonging the quality of French fries was determined to be between 155 and 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
For temperature range considerations, the methods discussed herein may utilize any number of food types and may define food types in various different ways, such as based on the ingredients comprising the food items, the geometry of the food items, the style of food items, the cooking temperature of the food items, or by a host of other parameters. In some examples, each particular food item has a unique predetermined temperature range.
As shown in
With reference to
With reference to
In certain examples, the interior of the enclosure is irradiated without directing infrared radiation at the warm food item. In other examples, the method does not include irradiating the interior of the enclosure. In some examples, infrared radiation is not utilized to irradiate either the warm food item or the interior of the enclosure.
Maintaining the Moisture Level within the Thermally Insulated Enclosure
In the step 110 example, maintaining the moisture level within the thermally insulated enclosure includes maintaining the moisture level within a predetermined range based on the type of warm food item in the thermally insulated enclosure. Experimenting has revealed that the quality of different types of foods can be more effectively prolonged by maintaining the moisture level within the enclosure within moisture level ranges specific to the particular type of food.
For certain types of food, acceptable moisture levels are between the ambient humidity level outside the enclosure and 20 percent above the ambient humidity level outside the enclosure. For selected food types, a desired moisture level is between 5 and 10 percent above the ambient humidity level outside the enclosure. When the warm food item is a pizza pie, the moisture level range determined to be effective to prolong the quality of the pizza pie is between the ambient humidity level outside the enclosure and 10 percent above the ambient humidity level outside the enclosure. When the warm food item is French fries, the moisture level range determined to be effective to prolong the quality of the French fries is between the ambient humidity level outside the enclosure and 5 percent above the ambient humidity level outside the enclosure.
For moisture level considerations, the methods discussed herein may utilize any number of food types and may define food types in various different waves, such as based on the ingredients comprising the food items, the geometry of the food items, the style of food items, the cooking temperature of the food items, or by a host of other parameters. In some examples, each particular food item has a unique predetermined moisture level range for the enclosure.
With reference to
As shown in
Maintaining the moisture level at step 110 further includes supplying air from outside the enclosure into the enclosure. To help facilitate maintaining a desired moisture level and the crispiness of the food item as described above, supplying air from outside the enclosure into the enclosure includes supplying air into the enclosure from a position beneath the warm food item.
In the method 100 example, supplying air from outside the enclosure into the enclosure includes passively supplying air into the enclosure at step 128 shown in
Turning attention to
As can be seen in
As shown in
Transporting the Warm Food Item to a Remote location
Transporting the warm food item to a location remote from where the warm food item was prepared may be performed by a delivery driver employed by the business that prepared the food, an independent contractor who delivers food as part of a gig-economy, or a customer who placed a carry-out order. In some examples, transporting the warm food item is not a commercial undertaking, but instead is performed by friends or family as part of a gift of food, a celebration, or a shared meal.
The distance between the remote location and the location where the food was prepared may be any distance. Typically, the distance will be within a given locality or geographic region; however, sometimes the distances will be significantly longer. The typical time necessary to travel the distance between the remote location and the location where the food was prepared may vary from tens of minutes to an hour or more, with some scenarios requiring multiple hours.
Securing the Thermally Insulated Enclosure to a Vehicle
The vehicle to which the enclosure is secured may be any currently known or later developed vehicle. For example, the vehicle may be an automobile, truck, moped, motorcycle, bicycle, electric scooter, and the like. In some examples, the vehicle is a robotic vehicle that moves autonomously, semi-autonomously, or at the direction of a person manually controlling its movement. In certain examples, a person carries the enclosure on his or her back while riding a bicycle, scooter, or other similar vehicle.
Securing the thermally insulated enclosure to a vehicle at step 232 may be accomplished by any currently known or later developed means. In some examples, seat belt straps pass through loops or other mounting points existing on the enclosure to secure the enclosure to the vehicle. In other examples, other elongate tension bearing members are utilized, such as bungee cords, rope, or straps.
In some examples, hook and loop fasteners or magnets are used to secure the enclosure to the vehicle. Clamps and other mechanical fasteners may additionally or alternatively be used. In certain examples, the vehicle and the enclosure are specially and complementary configured to selectively secure the enclosure to the vehicle.
Tracking the Location of the Thermally Insulated Enclosure
Tracking the location of the thermally insulated enclosure at step 234 is accomplished with a global positioning system. In other examples, other means of identifying and tracking the location of an item are used, such as cellular tower location data or internet based communications. In examples where a global positioning system is utilized, the system may be present on the enclosure, on a container or other packaging in which the food is contained in the enclosure, or on a vehicle to which the enclosure is secured. Any currently known or later developed form of global positioning system or other location tracking system may be used.
The disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” clement, “a first” clement, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claims should be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed to combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed inventions that are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in the present application or in a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to the same invention or a different invention and whether they are different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventions described herein.
This application claims priority to copending U.S. Application, Ser. No. 62756000, filed on Nov. 5, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62756000 | Nov 2018 | US |
