DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a food storage bag according to a first embodiment of the invention, having a food storage receiving portion or pocket and a gel receiving portion or compartment with an integral gel material therein;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the food storage bag of FIG. 1, showing the food receiving portion of the bag in the open position;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the food storage bag of FIG. 1, showing with the food receiving portion of the bag in a closed position end the gel receiving portion or compartment folded against the food receiving portion of the bag;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of food storage bag according to another embodiment of the invention with double opening on opposite ends, one for receiving a food item and the other for receiving a gel pack;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the food storage bag of FIG. 4, showing the food receiving portion of the bag and gel receiving portion of the bag in the open positions;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the food storage bag of FIG. 4, showing with the food receiving portion of the bag and the gel receiving portion of the bag in closed positions and with the gel receiving portion folded against the food receiving portion of the bag;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a food storage bag according to another embodiment of the invention formed with an exterior pocket or pouch to accept the gel pack; and
FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the food storage bag of FIG. 7, with the gel pack positioned over the food receiving portion of the bag.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a plastic food storage bag 1 with a food receiving portion or pocket 2 for receiving and storing a sandwich or other food item. Food storage bag 1 is also provided with an extension or gel receiving portion or compartment 3. Advantageously, bag 1 is fabricated from a common sheet of plastic and sealed midway at hingeable connection 4 to form the two separate food receiving and gel receiving portions or compartments. Food receiving portion or pocket 2 is provided with a closure that allows the pocket to be sealed closed and subsequently reopened. For example, food pocket 2 is provided with interlocking fasteners 5 and 6 of the type commonly used with “ZIPLOC” sandwich bags. Opposite thereto, compartment 3 is filled with a refrigeratable gel polymer 8, commonly used in ice freezer packs. Compartment 3 is captivated by permanent seal 7 to prevent any leakage from food storage bag 1. A sandwich or other food item may be inserted into open end 9. By applying pressure to surfaces 10 and 11, the interlocking fasteners 5 and 6 will lock, creating a leak proof container. When it is desired to remove the food item, surfaces 10 and 11 are pulled apart and fasteners 5 and 6 unlock to provide access to pooled 2. The plastic material of the bag is usually made from polyester or polyethylene film.
Prior to inserting the sandwich or other food item into food storage bag 1, bag 1 is placed into a freezer and the liquid gel polymer 8 is solidified. FIG. 2 depicts the food storage bag 1 with a sandwich 12 inserted through opening 9 prior to closing the bag. The hingeable connection 4 between pocket 2 and compartment 8 is of such length to allow the folding over of compartment 3 containing gel polymer 8, as shown in FIG. 3. Food storage bag 1 is closed and compartment 3 is placed in parallel contact with pocket 2 for transferring cold to sandwich 12. Surface 10 may be decorated with art or instructions or both. Upon removal of the food item, bag 1 is then disposed.
A further embodiment of the food storage bag is shown in FIG. 4 and consists of a food storage bag 100 having a food storage portion or pocket 25. Food storage bag 100 also is formed with extension or compartment 26 separated from pocket 25 and sealed therefrom by a hingeable section 27. Advantageously, food storage bag 100 is fabricated from a single sheet of plastic. Pocket 25 and compartment 26 are fabricated with identical interlocking fasteners 28 and 29. Pocket 25 is of a size suitable for containing a sandwich, and compartment 26 is of such a length as to receive a separate polymer gel pack or cold pack 30. In use, an item of food, such as sandwich 31 (FIG. 5) is inserted into pocket 25 through opening 35. Then, the outer surfaces of pocket 25 are pressed, forcing the interlocking fasteners 25 and 29 to engage, and thereby sealing the pocket. Polymer gel pack 30 is previously placed into the freezer to solidify and when solid, removed and inserted into compartment 26 through opening 32. By pressing the outer surfaces of compartment 26, the interlocking fasteners 28 and 29 are forced to mate. Then, by folding over compartment 26 containing pack 30 at the hingeable section 27, frozen gel pack 30 will transfer cold to the food item for a period of time to maintain freshness. The gel pack 30 is removed from chamber 26 by opening the interlocking fasteners 28 and 29, and removing the pack 30 through opening 32 for later reuse. The remainder of storage bag 100 is disposed of as refuse.
Still another embodiment is depicted in FIG. 7, which consists of a food storage bag formed with a pocket 50 having interlocking fasteners 52 and 53 and opening 54 for inserting an item of food, such as a sandwich. Also provided is an exterior pouch or compartment 51 attached to the exterior surface of pocket 50 and formed with an opening 55 at one end thereof into which a polymer gel pack 30 may be inserted (see FIG. 8). Compartment 51 may include a mechanism for selectively closing the end where opening 55 is located by means of interlocking fasteners, as described with the first two embodiments of the inventive food storage bag.
A sandwich 31 or other food item is placed into the opening 54 and the opening is closed by pressing the surface of 50, forcing the interlocking fasteners 52 and 53 to seal. Gel pack 30, previously placed info a freezer and then solidified, is placed into the compartment 51, transferring cold from the gel pack 30 to the sandwich 31, thereby maintaining freshness. When sandwich 31 is removed, the gel pack 30 also is removed and reused; the sandwich bag is then disposed of as refuse.
The scope of the invention may now be indicated in the following claims.
Patent Application
20080066491
