CH703030A2 - System for packing or electrical device for preparing meal, comprises electrical device and packing, where the device is provided with inner space in which meal is kept, and electrical device comprises medium for heating or cooling meal - Google Patents

Abstract

The system comprises an electrical device (1) and a packing, where the device is provided with an inner space (10) in which meal is kept. The electrical device comprises a medium for heating or cooling the meal, where the packing is connected with the electrical device for heating or cooling of the meal. The medium is guided to the packing. An independent claim is also included for a method for preparing meal.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a system, a device, a packaging and a method for preparing a food, in particular of ready-made or half-cooked dishes.

STATE OF THE ART

In industrialized countries, the awareness of a healthy conscious diet is growing. This calls for a careful preparation of the food. Especially in these countries, however, the individual often lacks the time to prepare meals based on the staple foods and cook them gently. Furthermore, there is no time to clean and clean the pans and other cooking utensils. The food industry has been trying for some time to meet these two opposing trends.

So portioned and individually packaged ready meals or precooked dishes are offered, which at home only need to be reheated or cooked. Depending on the type of dish and packaging, the meal may be ready to serve in a pan, oven, microwave or electric steamer, also called a steamer.

The preparation in steamer or steamer is generally considered to be particularly gentle and retaining the valuable components of the food. The preparation in the microwave, however, is very fast and therefore particularly popular among working people.

There are therefore various attempts in the art to prepare food ready to serve in the microwave with the aid of steam. Thus, WO 2007/117 936, EP 0 531 176, JP 2009 153 708 and US 2009/0 297 673 disclose packages which have a separate chamber for liquid. This liquid can act on the food in the heated state in the form of steam.

There are also known packaging in which steam can be supplied from the outside. For example, US 2008/0 069 485 discloses a package for ready meals which are heated in a steamer. The packaging is permeable to steam in both directions, so that the food in the packaging can be supplied with the steam of the steamer, the steam can also escape from the pack again. The package itself may be soft in the form of a bag or rigid in the form of a container.

EP 0 955 246 describes a bag-like package for ready meals or foods which only require short cooking times. The packaging has a grid through which steam can escape to the outside. Although this packaging was designed for microwave ovens, it is also suitable for use in conventional pressure cookers according to EP 246.

US 2005/0 079 250 further shows a package for ready meals with a lower area in which steam can penetrate from the outside to heat the ready meal.

Even if these foods are provided optimally prepared by the manufacturer, so is the final result, that is, the ready-meal in their quality is not guaranteed. The reason for this is that the manufacturer has no influence on the device in which the dish is finished by the consumer and how he or she finishes it. Microwave ovens have different powers and the microwave distribution in the oven varies depending on the type and manufacturer of the microwave oven. Even with electric steamers large differences in the reached temperature, the humidity and the steam distribution are present.

The term "steamer" used in this text refers to devices which allow steam cooking, but are not conventional high pressure steam cookers with valve. Steamers are usually electrical devices that can apply steam to a cooking chamber to heat and cook food in the oven. Steamer can be standalone units or kitchen installable appliances. Furthermore, steamer combi devices can be manufactured together with microwave ovens or ovens.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to increase the quality assurance of portioned meals.

This object is achieved by a system, a device, a packaging and a method for preparing a food according to claims 1, 9, 12 and 15.

The inventive system for preparing a food comprises a device and a package with an interior in which the food is arranged. The device provides a medium for heating or cooling the food. The packaging can be brought into operative connection with the device for heating or cooling the food. According to the invention, the device and the packaging are matched to one another such that the medium can be introduced into the packaging without the medium impinging on an outside of the packaging.

In the inventive method for preparing a food, a closed package is used with an interior in which the food is arranged. Furthermore, a device is used which provides a medium for heating or cooling the food. According to the invention an operative connection between the packaging and the device is created, which allows insertion of the medium, without the packaging is acted upon on its outside by the medium.

The medium is preferably steam. But it can also be hot air or cold air or a mixture of at least two of these three media. Furthermore, via separate nozzles in one area of the packaging, a first medium, for example steam or a steam / hot air mixture, and in another area a second medium, for example hot air or cold air, can be introduced.

In the inventive system, the device and the packaging are matched. The packaging interacts optimally with the device so that the medium can optimally heat, heat or cool the food. The dish is thus optimally prepared. Depending on the type of dish, the foodstuffs can be brought into direct contact with the medium, in particular with the steam. Other dishes or foods can be flowed through a protective wall separated from the medium, without being brought directly into contact with the medium. It is also advantageous that no liquid must be provided for the preparation of the meal in the packaging.

Since the packaging is not acted upon on the outside with the medium, it remains dry on its outside. The packaging can therefore subsequently be used as dinnerware without first having to be dried. However, it is also possible to apply the packaging additionally from the outside with one or the same medium.

The inventive system allows the use of Dampfgarens (steamer) without liquid already in the package must be present and without the packaging on the outside is moist.

This system is suitable for private households. However, it also brings significant advantages in restaurants, canteens and a food service restaurant. The food does not have to be prepared in the microwave, but can be gently prepared in a steamer, without the packaging before further use, in particular the delivery, further treated, especially dried must be.

Since the device and packaging are coordinated, open up additional advantageous opportunities. In particular, the packaging may be formed closed and it will be opened at one or more points when creating the operative connection with the device. The openings may have a relatively small inside diameter.

In a simple embodiment, the package has at least one already factory-mounted opening, which is covered by a protective film or a protective cover. This protection is removed by hand before the packaging is brought into operative connection with the device.

In a preferred embodiment, however, the system has a Aufstechmechanismus, which creates in the packaging at least one inlet opening for introducing the medium into the package. The packaging must therefore not be opened by hand during the preparation of the food. This increases hygiene and quality assurance.

The piercing mechanism preferably acts on the package at predetermined locations, i. the packaging is arranged at a pre-defined position relative to the device during piercing. This allows you to create predefined connections within the packaging. For example, the medium may be directed into the interior of the package containing the food. However, since medium can also get into a gap and not in the interior. Furthermore, the medium can be directed both into the gap as well as in the interior. Preferably, the piercing mechanism is arranged so that it does not come into contact with the food, i. he does not penetrate directly into the interior. This also increases hygiene and facilitates a possible cleaning of the piercing mechanism.

The Aufstechmechanismus is arranged in a preferred embodiment of the device and comprises at least one nozzle which penetrates into the package and through which the medium is inserted into the package. The nozzle is preferably provided with at least one piercing tip. Preferably, the nozzle does not penetrate into the interior of the package and thus does not contact the food.

In another embodiment, the packaging comprises a penetrating device which, when the packaging is positioned relative to the device, can be actuated by the device and which penetrates an outer casing of the packaging in order to allow the medium to be introduced into the packaging. The resulting at least one opening is preferably in turn covered by a nozzle of the device, which now allows the medium to flow into the package. Such a penetrating device may, for example, be at least one predetermined breaking point located on an outer side of the packaging, which breaks when contacted with a projecting nozzle of the device and releases an opening in the packaging.

Furthermore, at least one exit opening can be provided in the packaging. These, too, can already be arranged by the manufacturer or created by means of the piercing mechanism or the penetrating device when coupled to the device. This outlet opening allows pressure relief of the interior when heating or heating the food and allows steam to escape. Preferably, the vapor escapes through a ventilation channel of the device connected to this opening and thus does not reach the outside of the packaging. The exit opening may lead directly from the interior to the exterior of the package or it may create that connection indirectly via at least one channel extending inside the package.

In a preferred embodiment, the device of the system further comprises a controller which generates a food adapted climate profile in the package. This climate profile has at least one temporally and / or locally changing parameter, wherein this parameter is preferably the temperature and / or an amount of heat introduced into the packaging from the medium. The amount of heat introduced is preferably determined by the volume of the introduced medium. Other parameters are the pressure, the number of nozzles used to introduce the medium, the space in the package into which the medium penetrates, i.e. whether the medium is directed only into a gap, into the interior, or into both spaces, the nature of the medium, i. whether steam, hot air, cold air, a mixture thereof or any other medium is supplied. These parameters can be changed together or individually as a function of time and also of the place of introduction. This ensures an optimal preparation of the food.

The quality assurance of the prepared food can be increased if the manufacturer's accurate information on the climate profile are applied to the on the packaging. The climate profile takes into account the type of food to be prepared. Preferably, however, it also takes into account the type of appliance in which the food can be prepared.

In a simple embodiment, the user enters data into the device by hand in order to select the optimum climate profile: Preferably, the information is applied to the packaging in a device-readable manner, for example in the form of a barcode, or it takes place before or during the creation of the operative connection another type of automatic communication between device and packaging instead.

The inventive device preferably has a device for predefined precise positioning of the package, so that when creating the operative connection, the device and the package are arranged in a predefined position to each other. The device may have a closable with a door receiving space in which the package is inserted. The receiving space may correspond to a cooking chamber of a microwave oven, a steam oven or a baking oven except for the positioning means for the packaging.

However, since the packaging forms the cooking chamber, a closed equipment room is unnecessary. The device may consist in a simple embodiment of a platform for supporting the package or a lid for resting on the package.

Preferably, the packaging is dimensionally stable, in particular rigid. It may for example consist of a rigid upwardly open shell and a foil covering this shell. Preferably, the packaging is double-walled, so that the medium according to the climate profile or the user's choice with the food to be prepared can be brought into direct contact and / or flows around only the interior, without entering this.

Preferably, the package is self-standing, so that it can be used as dinnerware. The interior of the packaging, which contains the food, may be divided into several chambers, so that different components of the meal may be arranged in different chambers. For example, meat, vegetables and rice / potatoes / pasta may be arranged in separate chambers. The chambers can be connected to each other via openings or they can be separated medium-tight from each other, so that no flavor mixing can take place.

The inventive system and the inventive method allow the preparation of meals, especially of individual portions. In the process, a ready meal can only be heated, a half-cooked dish can be cooked or uncooked food can be cooked. Furthermore, it is possible to cool dishes. The package may also contain food at different stages of preparation, preferably in different chambers. These can then be individually loaded with the media available in the device and according to the climate profile.

It is a further object of the invention to ensure a preparation optimized as a function of the food.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 18.

In the inventive method for preparing a food, a package is used with an interior in which the food is arranged. A device is used which provides a medium for heating or cooling the food. According to the invention, a climate profile optimized for the food is determined and the food is prepared in accordance with this climate profile, the climate profile having at least one time and / or locally changing parameter.

This method can be used in the above-mentioned devices with and without piercing or penetration devices. However, it can also be used in known steamers, ovens and microwave ovens.

Further embodiments and variants of the method are specified in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings, which are merely illustrative and not restrictive interpreted. In the drawings show: <Tb> FIG. 1 <sep> is a schematic representation of a system according to the invention with device and packaging in a first embodiment; <Tb> FIG. 2 <sep> is a perspective view of the system according to FIG. 1; <Tb> FIG. 3 <sep> is a schematic representation of the use of the system according to the invention; <Tb> FIG. 4 shows a cross-section through a schematic representation of a system according to the invention in accordance with a second embodiment, with the lid open; <Tb> FIG. 5 <sep> the system according to Figure 4with the lid closed; <Tb> FIG. 6 <sep> is a perspective view of the system according to FIG. 4 without cover and <Tb> FIG. 7 <sep> is a perspective view of a packaging according to the invention in accordance with a third embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In Figs. 1 and 2, the inventive system is shown in a first embodiment. It has an electrical device 1, which has a closable with a door device interior 10. In the device interior 10, a packaging receptacle 11 is arranged with a bearing surface 110 arranged on two sides or at least partially revolving.

The device 1 has a medium reservoir 12. Usually this is a water tank. Instead of a storage container 12, the device 1 may also be connected to a building-side water pipe. From the reservoir 12, a medium supply line 13 leads to at least one nozzle 14, which projects into the interior 10. Preferably, a plurality of nozzles 14 are present. The reservoir 12 and or the medium line 13 is in operative connection with a heater, not shown, so that the medium can be heated. Instead of or in addition to the heater, a cooling device may be provided to cool the medium.

In the example shown here, the medium is steam, which is obtained from water. Additionally or alternatively, hot air or cold air can be used, which also flows through these or other nozzles.

The device 1 has a controller 15, which preferably has an input field or input keys and a display. The controller 15 preferably has a memory with stored air conditioning profiles. These climate profiles are selected by a user or specified by a packaging 2, which is introduced into the device interior 10. The controller 15 further includes a controller which controls the heater, the medium supply and any other elements of the device, so that the device is operated according to the predetermined climate profile.

If now a food is to be prepared, a packaging 2 containing this food is introduced into the interior of the appliance 10. The packaging 2 is placed on the packaging receptacle 11 and is thus brought into a precise predefined position relative to the device 1 and in particular to the nozzles 14. Other types of positioning are also possible. For example, the package 2 can be clamped in gripping arms or placed between positioning pins on a base plate of the device 1. This positioning allows the nozzles 14 to contact the package 2 at well-defined locations and project into the package 2 through openings. In this example, the nozzles protrude into the interior 20 of the package 2, in which the food is also located. Alternative positions are possible, as illustrated by the following examples.

The openings 23 may be predetermined. Here, the nozzles 14 are pointed, so that they puncture the package 2 when it is brought into the correct position. For this purpose, the nozzles 14 can be lowered, for example, or the package 2 can be lifted. Only inlet openings or outlet openings in the packaging 2 can be present or created. The medium is introduced through the inlet opening and the steam produced during the heating of the food can escape to the outside through the at least one outlet opening. The medium preferably never enters the device interior 10, but only into the interior of the packaging 2. This also applies preferably to the steam leaving the packaging 2. This is discharged directly via channels of the device 1.

In Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the operation of the inventive system is shown. The user or consumer 3 pushes a package 2 with the food to be prepared in the device 1. Via an interface 4 the device 1 information about the food to be cooked is transmitted. The transmission can be made directly from the package 2 or by manual input via the user. By means of the controller, the climate profile is selected and the controller 5 operates the device on the basis of the selected air conditioning profile 6, 6. In this case, a temporally (6) or a locally (6) varying climate profile can be traversed.

This schematic diagram also applies to the systems described below. In addition, the teachings of the embodiments described herein may be mixed together to form further embodiments.

FIGS. 4 to 6 show a second embodiment of the system according to the invention. Here the device 1 is much simpler. It has an upwardly open housing 17, the upper edge of which forms the packaging receptacle 11. The packaging lies with a circumferential flange on this edge. The piercing device 16 comprises a lowerable plate, which is penetrated by supply lines, not shown. The supply lines terminate in nozzles 14, 14, 18, 18. A portion of the nozzles 14, 14 serves to supply the medium, another part of the nozzles 18, 18 of the venting of the packaging, i. the removal of the resulting steam. For this purpose, the plate 16 is additionally penetrated by ventilation channels 18, 18.

As can be seen in Fig. 4, the film or the lid 21, which closes the package 2 upwards, still intact and closed. It is pierced by the piercing device 16 or the nozzles 14, 14, 18, 18, as shown in Fig. 5.

In this example, the medium, in particular the steam, passes through the inner nozzles 14 on the one hand into the interior 20 in which the food is located and leaves it through the central nozzle 18 again in the direction of the venting channel. Furthermore, a portion of the medium or other medium flows through the outer nozzles 14 into a gap 26 of the package 2. This space 26 preferably has no medium-permeable connection to the inner space 20 so that the medium merely flows around the inner space 20 and heats it , The combination of these two flow paths for the medium has the advantage that the food can be heated optimally. The introduced moisture and the applied heat are thus not in a fixed relationship to each other but can be selected in accordance with the optimum for the food climate profile. Furthermore, for sensitive foods, only one type of nozzles, i. the outer or inner nozzles are activated.

In Fig. 6 it can be seen that a part of the openings, e.g. the leading into the gap 26 openings 23 may also be already attached by the manufacturer. They are covered with a cover or film that is not visible here, which is removed before use. The remaining upper portion of the package remains closed.

The packaging is preferably made as a rigid or semi-rigid container, in particular of a food-compatible plastic. Preferably, the container is covered with a film. The film may be vapor impermeable or vapor permeable. In the second case, another lid or foil is provided as a cover of this first foil.

In Fig. 7 yet another embodiment of the inventive package is shown. Here again the packaging is double-walled with a gap. However, the gap has, in contrast to the previous embodiment distribution channels 25 and distribution openings 24, which lead in the interior 20 of the package and thus to the food. As a result, it is not necessary for the nozzles to penetrate directly into the interior. Contamination of the nozzles with food is thus prevented.

These devices described above can also be formed without puncturing mechanism and / or by acting on the outer surface of the package with the medium. According to the invention in these examples, the device is operated on the basis of a predetermined, temporally changing climate profile.

The inventive system and the inventive method allow increased quality assurance in the preparation of pre-portioned meals.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0057] <Tb> 1 <sep> Device <Tb> 10 <sep> Appliance interior <Tb> 11 <sep> Packaging recording <Tb> 110 <sep> bearing surface <Tb> 12 <sep> medium reservoir <Tb> 13 <sep> Media inlet <Tb> 14 <sep> Nozzle <tb> 14 <sep> nozzle <Tb> 15 <sep> Control <Tb> 16 <sep> Aufstechvorrichtung <Tb> 17 <sep> Housing <Tb> 18 <sep> vent channel <tb> 18 <sep> Venting duct <Tb> 2 <sep> Packaging <Tb> 20 <sep> Interior <Tb> 21 <sep> Lid <Tb> 22 <sep> flange <Tb> 23 <sep> inlet port <Tb> 24 <sep> distributor opening <Tb> 25 <sep> Distribution Channel <Tb> 26 <sep> space <Tb> 3 <sep> consumer <Tb> 4 <sep> input / output interface <Tb> 5 <sep> Control <tb> 6 <sep> time-varying climate profile <tb> 6 <sep> locally varying climate profile

Claims (18)

A system for preparing a food, comprising a device and a package having an interior in which the food is arranged, the device providing a medium for heating or cooling the food, and the packaging for heating or cooling the food can be brought into operative connection with the device, characterized in that the device and the packaging are matched to one another such that the medium can be introduced into the package, without the medium acting on an outside of the package. 2. System according to claim 1, wherein the medium is steam, hot air, cold air or a mixture of at least two of these media. 3. System according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the package is formed closed and the system has a Aufstechmechanismus, which creates at least one inlet opening in the packaging for introducing the medium into the package. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the piercing mechanism comprises at least one nozzle disposed on the device, which penetrates into the package and through which the medium is insertable into the package. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the package comprises a penetrating device operable by the device when the package is positioned relative to the device as intended and which penetrates an outer shell of the package to allow the medium to be introduced into the package , A system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the apparatus comprises a controller which generates a food adapted climate profile in the package. 7. System according to claim 6, wherein the climatic profile has at least one temporally and / or spatially changing parameter, wherein this parameter is preferably the temperature and / or an amount of heat introduced into the packaging via the medium. 8. System according to any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the air conditioning profile in accordance with a manufacturer's information on the packaging is selectable. 9. Apparatus for use in a system according to one of claims 1 to 8. 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein it comprises at least one nozzle with at least one piercing tip for introducing a medium into a package containing a food to be heated or cooled. 11. Device according to one of claims 9 or 10, wherein the device comprises a controller for generating different, adapted to the food to be heated climate profiles. 12. Packaging of a food to be prepared for use in a system according to one of claims 1 to 8. 13. A package according to claim 12, wherein it comprises a penetrating device. 14. Packaging according to one of claims 12 or 13, wherein it contains information regarding a to be used in the preparation of the food climate profile of a device. 15. A method of preparing a food, wherein a package is used with an interior, in which the food is arranged, and wherein a device is used, which provides a medium for heating or cooling of the food, characterized in that an operative connection is created between the packaging and the device, which allows insertion of the medium without the medium is applied to the packaging on its outside. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein a closed package is used, which is pierced when creating the operative connection, wherein at least one opening in the packaging is formed and wherein said at least one opening is connected to a medium supplying nozzle of the device. 17. The method according to any one of claims 15 or 16, wherein a climate optimized for the food profile determined and the food is prepared according to this climate profile. 18. A method for preparing a food, wherein a package is used with an interior in which the food is arranged, and wherein a device is used, which provides a medium for heating or cooling of the food, characterized in that a for the food optimized climate profile is determined and the food is prepared according to this climate profile, wherein the climate profile has at least one time and / or locally changing parameters.