AU612424B2

AU612424B2 - Insulated cook/cold container

Info

Publication number: AU612424B2
Application number: AU24753/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Cheryl Suzanne Steyn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-11-07
Filing date: 1988-11-07
Publication date: 1991-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 2008-11-07
Also published as: AU2475388A

Description

p. I fi- b IVl lVl l lP Li1 UI i t- I I U This form must be accompanied by either a provisional specification (Form 9 and true copy) or by a complete specification (Form 10 and true copy).

Form PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: 0 00 ooomplete Specification-Lodged: SDO, °Accepted: o. Lapsed: Published: 00 0 P, Pioity: PRelated Art: o 44 0 P ETO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT t CHERYL SUZANNE STEYN Address of Applicant: 0 0 Address of Applicant: TARAKWET ESTATE, KINGCOMBE ROAD, BUTCHERS CREEK, QUEENSLAND.

Actual Inventor: CHERYL SUZANNE

STEYN

0f Address for Service: P.O. BOX 309, MALANDA, QLD, 4885.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: nwOiA.T. TMPPTE)MENTSr Tr THE HAY B0& x- The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- S 'dt*N The description is to be typed in double spacing, pica type face, in an area not exceeding 250 mm in depth and 160 mm in width, on tough white paper of good quality and it is to be inserted inside this form.

9/78-L Printed by C. J. THOMPSON, Commonwealth Go\ rnment Printer, Canberra

TO

(IMPORTANT Cross out inapplicable words in the above Form.) This invention relates to the overall improvements of the Hay Box. The Hay Box is defined as "a box filled with hay in which heated food is left to finish cooking." For modern day usage the Hay Box is neither aesthetically desirable nor practical, and it has been found that natural insulating materials such as hay being of an irregular and rigid nature do not mould or shape freely and are subject to compaction signifigantly reducing the ability for optimum temperature maintenance. As the natural insulating materials in the Hay Box are inadequately contained, spillage results 1 0 through utilization or by inadvertent dislodgement thus requiring r 4 4, 0 o replenishment, or complete replacement as these insulating materials eo are also prone to infestation and rotting. Natural insulating materials aoc o and the organisms they host aro known to cause distress to sufferers of respiratory disorders.

The objects of this invention are to provide an insulated container with *80000 0: ~a heat tolerant capacity to withstand contact with extremely hot cookware without detrimental effect; to afford greater efficiency when oo #4 Vi 0 Smaintaining high temperatures so the cooking processes are not protracted; to facilitate the expeditious admission and containment of 20 highly heated vessels minimising heat loss; to accomodate cookware of varying sizes and styles; to present a portable appliance which is attractive, lightweight, washable and hard-wearing; to be able to maintain very high or very low temperatures and the range of temperatures therebetween, of items embraced within the insulated container for prolonged periods of time.

This invention by design, the manner of construction and the use of alternative materials eliminates the.disadvantages inherent to the Hay Box for practical energy and resource conservation.

According to the present invention there is provided an insulated cook /cold container substantially having a heat tolerant capacity for highly heated cookware and vessels transferred immediately from a direct heat source, the contents of the aforementioned cookware and vessels having sustained boiling point, said insulated container comprising: a flexible base portion having an upper and lower layer of heat tolerant flexible fabric sealed at the peripheries to a heat tolerant flexible fabric spacer and loosely filled with a granular synthetic insulating material having sufficient density to form an insulating layer throughout; a flexible re r tubular side wall portion of spaced inner and outer side walls of heat ft tolerant flexible fabric sealed at their lower edges to the upper layer ftil 41 of the base portion, and at their upper edges sealed to a heat tolerant flexible fabric spacer, the volume of the sealed tubular side wall portion having a quantity of granular synthetic insulating material qualified to provide an upstanding layer of insulation of insulation when the central 4 444, S cavity of the insulated container is expanded up to it's full extent, the c, central cavity being accessible by the open mouth formed by the perimeter iioo at the upper edge of the inner side wall, and a flexible cover portion 4 having two layers of heat tolerant flexible fabric sealed at the perimeters to loosely enclose an amount of granular synthetic insulating material being sufficient to form a co-extensive layer of insulation therebetween with the level disposition of the said cover portion.

Of particular importance is the heat tolerant flexible fabric used in the construction of the insulated container. The term 'heat tolerant' as applied to the fabric used, means the fabric has a resistant quality to withstand close contact with items having a very high temperature, such as cookware containing boiling foodstuffs. The term 'flexible' -~~1111 fabric indicates the pliable, non-rigid nature of this woven cloth, to allow the portions so described to smother the item or items held within the insulated container.

The essential design of the flexible cover portion is to cover the opening to the central cavity. The opening and the central cavity being equally bounded by the circumference of the flexible fabric comprising the inner side wall permits the easy passage of the flexible cover portion into the central cavity to settle upon the item or items placed 0000 0oe °within,a substantial layer of insulation, to exclude air pockets and 0 0 o o o 10 subsequent heat loss or heat gain. The horizontal aspect of the o 000 non-closing opening allows for the long handles of some cookware to 0000 ooo protrude out of the insulated container, while the flexible cover portion e a 0 provides an insulating layer over the heated surface of the said cookware.

00 0 A particularly important feature in the manner of construction of the present invention is the retention of the granular synthetic insulating 00 0 S0 material within each portion of the insulated container. The retention of the said insulating material within both the base and the tubular ap side wall portion affords the main body of the invention a semi-rigid 0 20 attitude, thereby causing the mouth of the insulated container to remain open with a horizontal aspect for ease of admission to the central cavity of extremely hot cookware. The semi-rigid attitude of the base and tubular side wall portions further provides stability to the heated vessels contained within the central cavity. The retention of the said insulating material inside each portion of the invention encourages the quick and effective embrace of the highly heated cookware, yielding a circumambient insulating layer of no less than four centimetres, i7 without manual adjustment to the very hot cookware.

00 P o 0 o o o 0 0 so na 000 0 00 S0oo oo n 0 0 000 0 0 o 0 0 00 0 0 0O 00 0 0 The use of alternative materials in the construction of the present invention is preferred. The heat tolerant flexible fabric used is a non-synthetic or has limited synthetic composition. The granular synthetic insulating material being recycled polystyrene.

This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:- Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of the invention, An outer cylinder of fabric is concentrically aligned to an inner 10 cylinder of fabric and sealed at the upper edges to an upper fabric fabric spacer The width of the upper fabric spacer being equal to the distance between the cylinders and and the length of the upper fabric spacer equal to the circumference of the outer cylinder The upper fabric spacer is gathered the length of one edge to fit the inner cylinder The lower edges of cylinders (1) and are concentrically and perpendicularly mounted securely upon a circular base to form an encircling compartment.

The circular base is comprised of two circles of fabric with the same circumference as the outer cylinder and permanently joined around the perimeters to the lower fabric spacer the lower fabric spacer having the same width as the upper fabric spacer and a length equal to the circumference of the circular base and the outer cylinder to form the base compartment.

The two compartments formed are loosely packed with a sufficient quantity of granular synthetic insulating material to encase a central cavity to which an opening is provided at the upper edge by the circumference of the inner cylinder for admission of cookware or other items for temperature maintenance.

A separate cushion-like compartment comprising two circles of fabric with a circumference greater than that of the inner cylinder but less than that of the outer cylinder sealed together at the perimeter and loosely packed with granular synthetic insulating material, is used to cover the opening to the central cavity.

00 0 o c o 0 0 0 0 0 0j a ooo 0 Optional single or double shoulder straps depending upon the capacity of 00 o 0 0010 the invention may be attached at equidistant points in the seam joining 0 0000 S0 the upper fabric spacer to the outer cylinder for easier 0 0 portability.

An optional fabric loop may be fixed at any point around the perimeter o o° of the separate cushion-like compartment to loosely encircle a shoulder strap to prevent loss of this compartment.

o0 o 0 0 0e 0 By constructing the present invention in the manner set forth the SJ defects which have been found in the Hay Box are removed. For everyday o 00.aro0 0 practical applications the environmentally-conscious insulated cook/ cold container is lightweight, washable, hard-wearing and portable.

Performance of temperature maintenance is considerably increased by the combination of design, the use of a heat-resistant, flexible fabric in the construction of the compartments or portions and the free flowing insulating material retained within these compartments or portions afford the invention a pliant nature allowing maximum surface contact and moulding with the very hot cookware, frozen foodstuffs or other items placed within the insular central cavity for temperature maintenance, regardless of shape or the manner of containment, eliminating air pockets and the subsequent temperature dissipation,to maintain for many hours a constant ambient temperature. For example the temperature maintenance of foodstuffs at 100 degrees Celsius, for up to 8 hours, and at 0 degrees Celsius and lower for approximately 72 hours.

As the invention maintains temperatures effectively, when heated food is admitted to continue the cooking process: normal cooking times apply.

o 4 The cylindrical form of the insulated cook/cold container is preferred 0 9 a 0 0 a o o 9 0 0 0 00 4 i I

Claims

1. An insulated cook/cold container substantially having a heat tolerant capacity for highly heated cookware and vessels transferred immediately from a direct heat source, the contents of the aforementioned cookware and vessels having sustained boiling point, said insulated container comprising: a flexible base portion having an upper and lower layer of heat tolerant flexible fabric sealed at the peripheries to a heat tolerant flexible fabric spacer, and loosely filled with a granular synthetic insulating material having sufficient density to form an insulating layer throughout; a flexible tubular side wall portion of spaced inner and outer side walls of heat tolerant flexible fabric sealed at their lower edges to the upper layer of the base portion, and at their upper edges sealed to a heat tolerant flexible fabric spacer, the volume of the sealed tubular side wall 4"4 4 portion having a quantity of granular synthetic insulating material #4 4 qualified to provide an upstanding layer of insulation when the central 8408 cavity of the insulated container is expanded up to it's full extent, the central cavity being accessible by the open mouth formed by the perimeter at the upper edge of the inner side wall, and a flexible cover portion having two layers of heat tolerant flexible fabric sealed at the perimeters to loosely enclose an amount of granular synthetic insulating material being sufficient to form a co-extensive layer of insulation therebetween with the level disposition of said cover portion.

2. An insulated cook/cold container as defined in Claim 1 wherein the preferred form is cylindrical.

3. An insulated cook/cold container as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein carrying straps may be attached.

4. An insulated cook/cold container as claimed in Claims 1 to 3, wherein the flexible cover portion may be attached to the tubular side wall portion. An insulated cook/cold container substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing. Iir t~ct rtr I r t tr Dated this 14th day of April 1991. CHERYL SUZANNE STEYN. I 4 *4*1l