CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is an U.S. national phase application under 35 U.S.C. §371 based upon co-pending International Application No. PCT/IT2005/000371 filed on Jun. 28, 2005. Additionally, this U.S. national phase application claims the benefit of priority of co-pending International Application No. PCT/lT2005/000371 filed on Jun. 28, 2005; Italy Application No. CS2004A000006 filed on Jun. 28, 2004; and Italy Application No. CZ2005A000011 filed on Jun. 27, 2005. The entire disclosures of the prior applications are incorporated herein by reference. The international application was published on Jan. 5, 2006 under Publication No. WO 2006/001048.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention regards the field of packagings destinated to contain products ready to use, also by heating or baking, constituted by two or more than two components to be put in contact before the usage and, in particular, field of packagings destinated to contain food products with said characteristics.
For example, the invention can be used for mixing vegetables and relative seasonings, noodles and sauces, scrambled eggs and bread-crumbs (for omelette cooking), ecc.
So, the invention is useful not only for the final user (consumer), but can be used also in restaurants or house kitchens, in order to make cooking more rapid and easy before their further treatment (for example, baking in a traditional or microwave oven).
STATE OF THE ART
Nowadays, different types of packagings for products ready to use, also by baking or heating, both in domestic or extra-domestic environment, are known.
As far as, in particular, the food products are concerned, these types of packagings are:
- packagings comprising a rigid container of plastic material, open in the upper part, similar to a soup-plate of various form (circular, oval, ecc.), containing all the food ingredients already mixed, closed by a film of plastic material and provided or not with vent devices. The particular disadvantage of these packagings is constituted by the fact that as the ingredients are mixed before, the solid components (noodle, rice, ecc.) tend to absorb these liquids to detriment of consistency, taste and presentation of meal;
- packagings comprising more than two containers of plastic material, each of which contains a food component to be mixed before the usage, in which at least one container is rigid and has also a reception function for the mixing and the thermal treatment in a completely open packaging mode. In this case, the user, after having removed the sealing film of said receiver, opens one or more than two bags or rigid containers at its disposal and pours the content on the remaining part of the food to complete the heating or baking preparation. The particular disadvantage of these packagings for foods is that it is very easy to shed the bags or rigid containers content on the clothes or other objects making this operation not very practical and not very hygienic. Besides, as said remaining part of the food normally occupies (by reasons of space optimization) the whole volume of its container (that acts as a mixing receiver), the mixing operation of various food components results difficult, if not impossible, where it is desired to evict the spill of the food out of the packaging.
- Besides, being the packaging completely open, the heating time will be relatively longer and the product will result drier, dissolving many inner humidity and producing a complexely worse result;
- packagings of vegetables containing a bag of aqueous solution which under the heat action releases vapour for the heating. The particular disadvantage of these packagings consists in the fact that they permit to realise only this application.
In no case mentioned above it is possible to mix different food components in a closed packaging or by means of thermical treatment. Still, the general disadvantage of all the packagings mentioned above is that eventual vent devices, they are provided with, when activated, provoke a “permanent opening” of the packaging (more or less extended breakthrough or hole of the superior sealing film or of some other part, on which said devices are eventually applied). Said opening, which, like in case of containers not provided with said devices and which, hence, must be opened or holed by hand before heating or baking, determines:
- the impossibility to mix the food pre- or post-heating or baking by “shakering” of the completely closed packaging;
- the continuous spill out of vapours produced inside the packaging to detriment of time and efficiency of product heating or baking.
To be complete, it is necessary to add to the packaging types mentioned above, the one disclosed in the international patent application WO 03/006323, filed by the present invention authors, describing a packaging which not being provided with particular vent systems presents the disadvantages indicated in the last two points mentioned above.
The prevailing baking mode for all the packaging types mentioned above is that of microwave oven, but there can also be the packagings made of a material which can be used in traditional oven.
The aim of the present invention is, hence, that to put at a disposal a packaging for product ready to use, also upon heating or baking, which permits:
- to keep separately the components of the product up to the moment of usage;
- to mix different components of the product in an efficient and/or hygienic mode when necessary, both before and after the eventual thermical treatment, in base of necessities and type of the product;
- to act a “calibrated” vent of the internal vapours, also to realize more rapid and efficient baking or heating.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
The present invention and its particular advantages will be described in an illustrative and not limiting way, making reference to some preferred realizations on the following figures:
FIG. 1 vertical section of the container with applied inferior sealing film;
FIG. 2 vertical section of the container after the insertion of the plug coupled to the stem valve, upon filling of the second compartment 3;
FIG. 3 vertical section of the container after the plug closure and the application of superior sealing film, upon filling of the first compartment 2;
FIG. 4 vertical section of the container after the plug ejection from its closure position;
FIG. 5 vertical section of the container with the completely open plug;
FIG. 6 vertical section of the container with activated vent devices;
FIG. 7 vertical section of the container with closed vent devices;
FIG. 8 (I) upper view of the plug with the stem valve;
FIG. 8 (II) prospect\vertical section A-A′ of the plug with stem valve;
FIG. 9 (I) upper view of the stem valve;
FIG. 9 (II) vertical section A-A′ of the stem valve;
FIG. 9 (III) transversal section B-B′ of the stem valve;
FIG. 10 the bottom view of the packaging with additionals (knives, forks, napkins and other components or integrators of the product);
FIG. 11 vertical section of a variant of the container with the applied inferior sealing film;
FIG. 12 vertical section of the container after the plug insertion, upon the filling of the second compartment 3;
FIG. 13 vertical section of the container after the plug closure and the application of the superior sealing film, upon the filling of the first compartment 2;
FIG. 14 vertical section of the variant of invention with container after the plug ejection from its closure position;
FIG. 15 vertical section of the variant of invention with container with the completely open plug;
FIG. 16 vertical section of the variant of invention with container with activated vent devices;
FIG. 17 vertical section of the variant of invention with container with closed vent devices;
FIG. 18 (I) upper view of the plug;
FIG. 18 (II) prospect\vertical section A-A′ of the plug;
FIG. 19 the bottom view of the variant of packaging with additionals (knives, forks, napkins and other components or integrators of the product);
FIG. 20 vertical section of a variant in which the second compartment 3 is constituted by a piece separated from the first compartment 2.
FIG. 21 vertical section of the container with plug in closed position with closed seal;
FIG. 22 vertical section of the container with plug in closed position in pression with closed seal;
FIG. 23 vertical section of the container with plug in closed position in pression with open seal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Referring to FIG. 1, the container (1), constituted by an external lateral wall (5), which ends with a superior flange (4), and by a base surface (8), forms a first compartment (2), internally limited by the wall (9) superiorly provided with perimetrical rib (20), in the figure represented as a semicircular section.
To said wall (9) a mobile base (11) is jointed, to form at least a second compartment (3). The mobile base (11) is provided in its centre with a vertical sliding guide (13), grooved in the variant here represented, in which correspondence a hollow on the inferior face (12) is present.
The base surface (8) presents on its end a nib (6), on which both the spread pins (31), able to create, in phase of the product usage, a passage between the packaging bottom and external environment, which function will be explained further, and a plain surface (7) are drawed. Such bottom conformation forms a correspondent reentrant (10), able to contain additionals, not shown here, as represented in a simplificated manner on FIG. 10, kept by an inferior sealing film (22), applied to the plain surface (7) by any known process.
Referring to FIG. 2, in the second compartment (3), upon its filling with a specific product component, the plug (14) is inserted.
Said plug (14) is constituted by a coupling and sliding element (16) inside the wall (9) and by an element (17), jointed to the coupling and sliding element (16) by means of linking bars (18), being said element (17) both internally inclined in order to favour the runoff towards the first compartment (2) of the component placed inside the second compartment (3) and provided in the centre of the lower part with a coupling protuberance (15) which couples with the guide (13).
The plug (14) presents, besides, a perimetrical groove (19), with semicircular section in the figure, which is complementary to the perimetrical rib (20), with semicircular section in the figure which the wall (9) ends with.
In said plug (14) a stem valve (23) is inserted, which defines a vent channel (30), having a function which will be explained further.
Said stem valve (23) is provided, in the upper part, with a surface (24) and with a perimetrical rib (26), with semicircular section in the figure, complementary to the perimetrical groove (25), with semicircular section in the figure, present on the superior part of the plug (14), and is provided with openings (27) to put into communication the vent channel (30) with the external environment.
Referring to FIG. 3, the plug (14) runs up to close the second compartment (3), adhering with the perimetrical groove (19) to the complementary perimetrical rib (20) of the wall (9).
During such operation the plug (14), by the strike effect between the coupled sliding guide (13) and coupling protuberance (15), moves down the mobile base (11), which deforms elastically in order to perform a function which will be explained further and holds it in this position from the moment of closure with the same plug (14).
Realizing so, the separation between the compartments, the first compartment (2) can, hence, be filled in such a way that different components contact between each other, only in the moment of usage of the product.
So, the packaging is closed in the upper part by means of the superior sealing film (21), adhered both to the flange (4) of the container, and to the surface (24) of the stem valve (23), preferably by thermowelding or some known process, which permits anyway to maintain the perfect adherence of the superior sealing film (21) both with the flange (4) and with the surface (24), also in the conditions of thermal variations during the heating or baking by means of the present invention.
For using of the product in this configuration it is necessary, first to remove the inferior sealing film (22), in order to put in communication the vent channel (30) with the external environment and remove the additionals (FIG. 10) not shown up to here.
Referring to FIG. 4, the user, in base of the product requirements, either pushes onto the bottom, in correspondence of the hollow (12) of the mobile base (11), in order to execute by hand the plug (14) opening, eventually mixes also the two components of the product shaking the packaging and, finally, introduces it into an oven, for example microwave, or passes directly to this latter operation.
In the second case, when the preventive opening of the closure measures of the compartment (3) is not expected, a certain enhancing of the internal pressure of said compartment, which could occur, for example, during the baking or heating of the product makes the plug (14) spill out from its closure position.
The spill out of the plug (14) from its said closure position removes the barrier maintained by the mobile base (11) deformed elastically as indicated in FIG. 3. Consequently, said base returns to its original conformation, as shown in FIG. 2, pushing up the plug (14) up to the stop position corresponding to the complete opening of the same, as it is better shown in the next FIG. 5.
Referring to FIG. 5, once the communication between different compartments is realized, the enhancement of the internal pressure of the container is compensated by the reinflating of the superior sealing film (21).
Thanks to the barrier between the superior sealing film (21) and the surface (24), said superior sealing film (21) moves with itself the stem valve (23) in a vertical sliding movement.
Referring to FIG. 6, a further enhancement of internal pressure of the container (1) is compensated by a major reinflating of the superior sealing film (21), until the openings (27), rising over the superior protuberance of the plug (14), through the vent channel (30) and the spaces present between the spread pins (31) put into communication the container (1) with the external environment. In such a way it is possible both to control the internal pressure of the packaging, reducing it suitably in order to avoid any explosion danger, and to maintain optimal conditions for rapid and efficient heating or baking.
Referring to FIG. 7, (for example, following the temperature reduction after the temporary or definite suspension of heat or microwaves erogation from the heating or baking instrument), it is observed the reentering towards the internal part of the container (1), of the superior sealing film (21), which moves down the stem valve (23), up to closing the passage with the external environment realized by the openings (27). Everything described in reference to FIGS. 5-7 can repeat in a cycle up to the end of heating or baking.
Referring to FIG. 8, in the representation (I), the upper view of the plug (14) with the stem valve inserted in it is shown, while in the representation (II) a longitudinal section A-A′ and a partial prospect of said plug (14) and stem valve (23) are shown.
Referring to FIG. 9, in the representation (I) the upper view of the stem valve (23) is shown, in the representation (II) its longitudinal section A-A′ is shown and in the representation (III) its transversal section B-B′ is shown.
Referring to FIG. 10, into the reentrant (10) between the base surface (8) and the inferior sealing film (22) the knives and forks (40), the napkin (41) and other components or additionals integrating the packaging can be inserted.
Referring to FIG. 11, which shows a different mode of invention execution, the container (1), constituted by an external lateral wall (5), which ends with a superior flange (4), and by a base surface (8), forms a first compartment (2), internally limited by the wall (9) provided in the upper part with the perimetrical rib (20), with semicircular section in the figure.
To said wall (9) a mobile base (11) is jointed in order to form at least a second compartment (3).
Said mobile base (11) presents on its centre a vertical sliding guide (13), in this configuration internally provided with a septum (28), inside of which a hollow (12) is present which allows to realise an eventual manual pressure, while in the upper part a perimetrical nib (34) is present, with semicircular section in the figure.
The base surface (8) has two nibs (6) with two plain surfaces (7). Between the horns (6) and the base surface (8) a reentrant (10) is formed that inside can receive the additionals, not shown here, represented for example in FIG. 19, kept by means of an inferior sealing film (22), applied to the plain surfaces (7) by means of any known process. Referring to FIG. 12, in the second compartment (3), upon its filling with a specific component of the product, the plug (14) is introduced.
Said plug (14) is constituted by a sliding and coupling element (16) inside the wall (9), jointed, by means of linking bars (18), to the element (17) internally inclined in order to favour the runoff towards the first compartment (2) of the component placed inside the second compartment (3) and provided in the centre of the lower part with a coupling protuberance (15) which couples with the sliding guide (13).
The element (17) presents, besides, a perimetrical groove (19), with semicircular section in the figure which is complementary to the perimetrical rib (20), with semicircular section in the figure which the wall (9) ends with, and in the upper part it is provided in the centre with a hollowed structure which in this configuration defines the vent channel (36), which ends in the upper part with the surface (32) and in the lower part with a perimetrical groove (33), with a partial semicircular section in the figure, complementary to the rib (34) of the sliding guide (13), with semicircular section in the figure.
In the coupling protuberance (15) free spaces or openings (35), not visible here, which function will be explained further, are present.
Referring to FIG. 13, the plug (14), slides until closes the second compartment (3), adhering with the perimetrical groove (19) to the complementary perimetrical rib (20) of the wall (9) and, besides, with the perimetrical groove (33) to the complementary perimetrical rib (34) of the sliding guide (13).
During such operation the plug (14), by the strike effect between the coupled sliding guide (13) and coupling protuberance (15), moves down the mobile base (11), which deforms elastically in order to perform a function already described in FIG. 4 (further raising of the plug), and keeps it in this position since the closure with the plug (14) itself has been performed.
Realizing so, the separation between the compartments, the first compartment (2) can, hence, be filled in such a way that different components contact between each other only in the moment of usage of the product.
A superior sealing film (21) adheres to the superior flange (4) of the container (1) and to the surface (32), preferably by thermowelding or some known process, which permits anyway to maintain the perfect adherence of the superior sealing film (21) with both elements (4) and (32), also in the conditions of thermal variations during the heating or baking by means of the present invention. Besides, in this configuration the hole with a diameter equal to internal diameter of surface (32) necessary to allow the further communication of container (1) with the external environment through the vent channel (36) is practiced in correspondence to the surface (32).
In the usage phase, by effect of the pressure generated inside, the welding between the seal (52) and superior surface (32) of the plug (14) will be forced up to film breaking, freeing the communication passage of the channel (36) with the external environment of the container.
Referring to FIG. 14, the user, in base of the product requirements, either pushes onto the bottom, in correspondence of the hollow (12) of the mobile base (11), in order to execute by hand the plug (14) opening, eventually mixes also the two components of the product shaking the packaging and, finally, introduces it into an oven, for example microwave, or passes directly to this latter operation.
In the second case, when the preventive opening of the closure measures of the compartment (3) is not expected, a certain enhancing of the internal pressure of said compartment, which could occur, for example, during the baking or heating of the product makes the plug (14) spill out from its closure position.
The spill out of the plug (14) from its said closure position removes the barrier which keeps the elastically deformed mobile base, as indicated in FIG. 13. Consequently, said base returns to its original conformation, as shown in FIG. 12, pushing up the plug (14) to the stop position corresponding to the complete opening of the same, as it is better shown in the next FIG. 15.
Referring to FIG. 15, once the communication between different compartments is realized, the enhancement of the internal pressure of the container is compensated by reinflating of the superior sealing film (21).
Referring to FIG. 16, a further enhancement of internal pressure of the container (1) is compensated by a major reinflating of the superior sealing film (21). In consequence of the already described barrier between the superior sealing film (21) and the surface (32), said superior sealing film (21) pushes with itself the vent channel (36) in a vertical sliding movement, after having released the plug (14), where said vent channel (36), by means of element (17) is an integrated part, from the coupling between the groove (33) and the rib (34). Said vertical sliding movement goes on until the empty spaces or openings (35), present in the coupling protuberance (15), put into communication the container (1) with the external environment through said vent channel (36). In such a way it is possible both to control the internal pressure of the packaging, reducing it suitably in order to avoid any explosion danger, and to maintain optimal conditions for rapid and efficient heating or baking.
In an alternative realization mode illustrated in the FIGS. 21, 22 and 23, the plug (14) can, besides, be provided with a groove (50) drawed on the superior surface (32), in correspondence to the zone to be coupled with the film (21) by means of thermowelding or another known process. This groove (50) makes so that the coupling surface between the film (21) and the plug (14) is composed by two annular concentrical surfaces separated by the groove (50) itself. The utility of said groove (50) consists in the fact that it is possible to perform a precutting (51) (by a cutter or another known process) on the film in correspondence of the groove (50) itself, guaranteeing a keeping between the inside and outside of the packaging, in order to avoid the entry of foreign substances into the packaging itself. Hence, the described precutting realises a circular closure disc (52) (acting as a seal).
As shown in FIG. 16, the further enhancement of the internal pressure of the container is compensated by the reinflating of the superior sealing film (21). In consequence of the already described barrier between the superior sealing film (21) and the surface (32), said superior sealing film (21) pushes with itself the vent channel (36) in a vertical sliding movement, after having released the plug (14), where said vent channel (36), by means of element (17) is an integrated part, from the coupling between the groove (33) and the rib (34). The continuation of said vertical sliding movement determines the communication by means of empty spaces or openings (35) of the container (1) with the vent channel (36), which will be submitted to the internal pressure of the container.
The welding between the seal (52) and the inferior surface (32) of the plug (14), realized for achieving the following objective, is stressed by the pressure action until the film breaking and a consequent freeing of the communication passage between the channel (36) and the external environment of the container.
Referring to FIG. 7, (for example, following the temperature reduction after the temporary or definite suspension of heat or microwaves erogation from the heating or baking instrument), it is observed the reentering towards the internal part of the container (1), of the superior sealing film (21), which moves down the vent channel (36) up to closing the passage of the container (1) with the external environment realized by the openings (35).
Everything described in reference to the FIGS. 15-17 can repeat in a cycle up to the end of heating or baking.
Referring to FIG. 18, in the representation (I), the upper view of the plug (14) is shown, while in the representation (II) a longitudinal section A-A′ and a partial prospect of said plug (14) are shown.
Referring to FIG. 19, into the reentrant (10) between the base surface (8) and the inferior sealing film (22) the knives and forks (40), the napkin (41) and other components or additionals integrating the packaging can be inserted.
Referring to FIG. 20, which represents a further variant of the invention, the second compartment (3) is constituted by a piece separated from the first compartment (2). Said second compartment (3), already partially filled and closed by plug (14), is inserted by spring means into the container (1), using the coupling hole (46), before the application of the sealing films (21) and (22), not shown here, offering, for example, the further advantage of being able to pack separately the second compartment (3) also in another industrial site or by thirds. The most internal nib (6) of the first compartment (2) has a wall (38) which presents a nib (39) with terminal board (45), with semicircular section in the figure. The second compartment (3) presents on the base of the wall (9) a nib (40) and a wall (41).
On the wall (9) and on the wall (38) two perimetrical grooves (42) and (44) are realised, with semicircular section in the figure, in which by spring means the bord (45) of the nib (39) as well as the rib (43), with semicircular section in the figure, present on the wall (41) and complementary to the mentioned grooves, key respectively, when the second compartment (3) reaches the final point determined by the strike between the complementary nibs (39) and (40).
An important functional characteristics of the present invention consists in the fact that the communication of the container (1) with the external environment, which is obtained through the openings (27, 35) of the vent channel (30, 36), is initially absent and can be disactivated or is disactivated automatically on the end of the utilization phase realized with said invention. It permits to mix at the beginning or in the end of the said phase the components contained in the compartments (2) and (3), without provoking the spill of the product out of the packaging, with obvious further remarkable advantages.
The invention, certainly, is not limited, to the representation of the figures, but can receive perfections and modifications from men skilled in the art, without going out of the patent frame.
The present invention permits numerous advantages and, particularly, allows to overcome the difficulties that could not be superated using the systems that are actually in commerce.
Patent Grant
7665602
