Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G23/00—Other table equipment
  • A47G23/06—Serving trays
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G19/00—Table service
  • A47G19/02—Plates, dishes or the like
  • A47G19/025—Plates, dishes or the like with means for amusing or giving information to the user
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J47/00—Kitchen containers, stands or the like, not provided for in other groups of this subclass; Cutting-boards, e.g. for bread
  • A47J47/14—Carriers for prepared human food

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for the preparation of balanced food rations and with controlled energy value.
• Many weight loss or maintenance diets are based on weighing food to make rations with an appropriate overall energy value. Soon. when the foods in themselves have different energy values from one food to another, it has hitherto appeared necessary to weigh each food component of the meal. However, weighing operations are tedious and time consuming, which makes it impossible to follow a correct diet. At the same time, it is necessary to guarantee a satisfactory dietary balance, in order to avoid serious nutritional deficiencies when reducing the energy value of meals.
• the problem proposed by the present invention is to avoid the drawbacks of the means currently used for determining rations in dietetic diets, by proposing a new device which facilitates the preparation of food rations by avoiding having to resort to weighing operations.
• the invention simultaneously aims to ensure a satisfactory dietary balance of the rations thus prepared by the device.
• the invention also aims to facilitate and improve the intake of diet meals.
• the invention provides a device for the preparation of balanced food rations with controlled energy value, characterized in that:
• the device comprises three main cavities, open upwards in three distinct orifices, substantially coplanar,
• a first main cavity has a volume greater than half the total volume of the three cavities
• a second main cavity has a volume less than the volume of the third cavity
• the device has a base surface adapted to rest on a support plane
• the orifices are coplanar along a plane generally parallel to the base surface.
• the use of three main cavities makes it possible to prepare each meal with at least three types of food, ensuring a satisfactory nutritional balance.
• the cavities have an appropriate volume which it suffices to fill with said food in order to obtain an appropriate energy value, without having to resort to weighing operations.
• the coplanar nature of the upper orifices of the cavities significantly facilitates the filling and control of the quantities of food contained in the cavities.
• certain proportions between the respective volumes of the main cavities can advantageously be observed. For this we can predict that:
• a first ratio between the volume of the first main cavity and the total volume of the main cavities is between 50% and 70%
• a second ratio between the volume of the second main cavity and the total volume of the main cavities is between 12% and 24%
• - a third ratio between the volume of the third main cavity and the total volume of the main cavities is between 15% and 30%
• the total volume is between approximately 5 deciliters and approximately 14 deciliters.
• the total volume will be chosen close to 5 decilitres.
• the total volume will be chosen close to 13 decilitres. Good results can be obtained by choosing a first ratio of approximately 55%, a second ratio of approximately 20%, a third ratio of approximately 25%.
• the main cavities are contiguous and form a continuous planar upper surface comprising the orifices. It is possible to facilitate the control of the filling of the main cavities by providing a scraper adapted to level the content of the main cavities according to the continuous flat upper surface.
• the scraper may for example be a knife with a lateral cutting edge mounted pivoting about a vertical peripheral axis, so as to cut and eliminate the excess food when filling the main cavities.
• two additional displaceable cavities for example of the hollow spoon type with parallelepiped volume with defined capacity, a first additional displaceable cavity having a volume of approximately 6 cm 3 , a second additional displaceable cavity having a volume of approximately 18 cm 3 .
• the main cavities may be integral, constituting a one-piece assembly, or may be removable containers, adaptable on a base provided with lateral retaining means to oppose the lateral movement of the containers.
• the invention provides for using the device defined above, using the same device for each of the three daily meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner, by filling the cavities with foods chosen from a predefined list.
• FIG. 2 is a top view of a scraper or knife adaptable to the device of Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 shows in profile the scraper or knife of Figure 2;
• - Figure 4 is a top view of an additional movable cavity of the spoon type according to an embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 5 is a side view of the additional cavity of Figure 4.
• FIG. 6 is a top view of another additional movable cavity according to an embodiment of the invention
• - Figure 7 is a side view of the additional cavity of Figure 6;
• FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the different parts of a device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 9 is a top view of a device according to another embodiment of the present invention
• ⁇ - Figure 10 is a sectional view along the plane l-l of Figure 9;
• FIG. 1 1 is a top view of the device of Figure 9 in the folded state.
• the invention provides a device comprising three main cavities A, B and C, open upwards through three respective respective orifices 1, 2 and 3 substantially coplanar.
• the main cavities A, B and C are of parallel rectangular elepipedal shape, of substantially equal heights H, and adapted to form, after assembly side by side, a rectangle in top view .
• FIG. 9 Another example is illustrated in FIG. 9.
• the cavities B and C are of rectangular parallelepiped shape, while the cavity A is circular along a part of its periphery.
• the cavities A, B and C are adapted to form, after assembly side by side, an integrable assembly in a base 4 of generally circular shape.
• the main cavities A, B and C are integral with each other, forming a single unit.
• the main cavities A, B and C are removable containers, adaptable on a base 4.
• the base 4 is then provided with lateral retaining means to oppose the lateral movement of the containers A, B and C when they are placed on the base.
• the base 4 comprises a peripheral rib 5 defining an interior housing 6 of rectangular shape in which the containers A, B and C fit with little play, as indicated by the respective arrows 7, 8 and 9.
• the lateral retaining means can be reversed, with peripheral ribs provided on the underside of the containers A, B, C, for example the ribs 15b and 15c containers B and C, and coming to cap a corresponding projection 16b or 16c provided on the upper face of the base 4.
• Other means of male-female engagement can be used, to fulfill the same function, as will appear in skilled in the art.
• the cavities A, B and C are contiguous and form a continuous flat upper surface.
• a scraper 10 Figures 1 and 8
• the scraper may be a knife with a lateral cutting edge 10a (FIG. 8), mounted to pivot about a vertical peripheral axis 11, and arranged to pivot at the height of the continuous flat upper surface of the main cavities A, B and C.
• the scraper 10 can thus cut and eliminate the excess of food which protrudes above the continuous flat upper surface, ensuring that the main cavities A, B and C are correctly filled with food, without overshoot.
• the axis 11 can advantageously be removable, for example engaged in a housing 4a of the base 4. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the housing 4a of the base 4 is in the vicinity of the middle of a large side of the rectangle formed by the reception area of the main cavities A, B, C, or interior housing 6.
• the housing 4a can be in the vicinity of the center of the base 4.
• the scraper 10 does not have the function of cutting, but rather of inviting the consumer to remove the excess food which he will have voluntarily or involuntarily put in the main cavities A, B and C.
• a handle 12 can facilitate gripping of the scraper 10 during its pivoting around the axis 11.
• two additional movable cavities, of the spoon type having two separate volumes, namely a first additional displaceable cavity 13 and a second additional displaceable cavity 14, which will be used as indicated below.
• the respective volumes VA, VB and VC of the main cavities A, B and C have relationships between them which will be chosen in the following ranges of ratios: the first RA ratio between the volume VA of the first main cavity A and the total volume of the main cavities A, B and C is advantageously between 50% and 70%, good results being obtained with a first RA ratio of approximately 55%; the second ratio RB between the volume VB of the second main cavity B and the total volume of the main cavities A, B and C is between 12% and 24%, advantageously around 20%; the third ratio RC of the volume VC of the third main cavity C and of the total volume of the main cavities A, B and C is advantageously between 15% and 30%, good results being obtained with a ratio of about 25%.
• the total volume of the main cavities A, B and C can be between 5 and 14 deciliters.
• a total volume of about 5.5 deciliters we will choose a total volume of approximately 13 decilitres.
• the successive sets of main cavities may correspond to age groups, according to the usual needs known to individuals. According to an example illustrated in FIG.
• the main cavity A has the approximate dimensions: a length of 10.2 cm, a width of 13.4 cm, a height of 2.2 cm; the cavity B can have approximate dimensions: a length of 9.2 cm, a width of 6.2 cm, a height of 2.2 cm; the cavity C may have approximate dimensions: a length of 9.2 cm, a width of 7.1 cm, a height of 2.2 cm.
• the set achieves a total volume of about 5.5 deciliters.
• the cavity B can have approximate dimensions: a length of 8.5 cm, a width of 6.7 cm, a height of 2.2 cm; the cavity C can have approximate dimensions: a length of 9.2 cm, a width of 7.6 cm, a height of 2.1 cm.
• the main cavity A comprises three sides of a rectangle 15 cm long and 7.5 cm wide, and a fourth side along a portion of a circle with a radius of 11.2 cm.
• the assembly achieves a total volume of approximately 5.5 deciliters, and rests on a circular base 4.
• the bottom of the cavity A has a marking 18 delimiting a circular sector which can match a piece of cake.
• the side wall of the main cavity A has a horizontal marking to identify different volumes, for example 1 deciliter and 2 deciliters, allowing the user to consume for example 1 deciliter of milk with cereals and 2 deciliters of yogurt or vice versa.
• We . can advantageously provide two additional displaceable cavities 13 and 14 smaller.
• the additional movable cavity 13 one can provide a length of about 2.6 cm, a width of about 2 cm, a height of about 1.1 cm, with a handle 13a of length about 5 cm, of width about 1 cm , of rounded shape, as illustrated in FIGS.
• the second additional displaceable cavity 14 may have a volume approximately three times greater than that of the first additional cavity 13, with a length of approximately 5.3 cm, a width of about 2.6 cm, and a height of about 1, 3 cm. Its shape is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.
• the base 4, as illustrated in Figures 8, 9 and 10, can have dimensions greater than those of the area occupied by the main cavities A, B and C, in order to provide a peripheral sidewalk 4b on which the additional movable cavities 13 and 14 can be stored, as illustrated by the arrows 15 and 16.
• Each additional cavity 13 and 14 can be associated with lateral retaining means on the base 4, for example ribs , male-female engagement means, as described above in relation to the main cavities A, B and C.
• the underside 4c of the base 4 constitutes a base surface adapted to rest on a support plane.
• the foods introduced into each of the main cavities A, B and C are varied at each meal.
• the content of a device according to the invention constitutes a complete meal. For breakfast, cavity A will be dedicated to rations providing calcium, proteins ...; cavity B will be dedicated to rations providing starchy foods; cavity C will be dedicated to fruit-type foods, providing fiber and vitamins.
• cavity A For lunch, cavity A will be dedicated to foods such as vegetables, providing fiber; cavity B will be dedicated to starchy foods; cavity C will be dedicated to foods providing protein.
• cavity A For dinner, cavity A will be dedicated to vegetable-type foods, providing fiber; cavity B will be dedicated to starchy foods; cavity C will be dedicated to fruit-type foods, providing fiber and vitamins.
• the main cavity A, B and C are filled with the corresponding food, and the surplus is leveled off to respect the volume of the cavity. To do this, it suffices to rotate the scraper 10 about its axis 11 while holding it by the handle 12.
• Each main cavity A, B and C constitutes a measurement which must be filled to the brim.
• the fact that the cavities are filled to the brim may seem a priori a disadvantage, because of the risk of overflowing or overturning during consumption. But this is also an advantage, because the user is thus obliged to consume the food slowly and gently, instead of swallowing quickly. This results in better assimilation of food. It is considered that with a device whose total volume is approximately 5.5 deciliters, the constitution of the three rations as defined in the table above leads to a balanced diet having a daily energy power of approximately 4,600 kJoules (1,100 kCalories).
• cavity A During breakfast, cavity A, with a volume of approximately 3 deciliters, contains milk or yogurt, which corresponds to an energy value of approximately 630 kJoules.
• Cavity B contains approximately 40 grams of bread or cereals, which corresponds to an energy value of approximately 420 kJoules.
• Cavity C contains approximately 120 grams of cut fruit or orange juice, which corresponds to an energy value of approximately 200 kJoules.
• cavity A contains about 220 grams of vegetables or raw vegetables, which corresponds to an energy value of approximately 240 kJoules.
• Cavity B contains about 80 grams of potatoes, mash, peas, rice, pasta, polenta, couscous, chickpeas, beans or lentils, which corresponds to an energy value of about 400 kJoules.
• the cavity C contains approximately 120 grams of meat, fish or egg, which corresponds to an energy value of approximately 1000 kJoules.
• Cavity A contains approximately 3 decilitres of soup or melon, which corresponds to an energy value of approximately 430 kJoules.
• Cavity B contains approximately 40 grams of bread, which corresponds to an energy value of approximately 420 kJoules.
• Cavity C contains approximately 120 grams of bananas, figs or fruit in syrup, which corresponds to an energy value of approximately 460 kJoules.
• the device according to the invention provides approximately 1,250 kJoules at breakfast, 1,600 kJoules at lunch, and 1,300 kJoules at dinner.
• the two additional cavities 13 and 14 can provide approximately 160 kJoules at breakfast, 250 kJoules at lunch and 210 kJoules at dinner.
• the first additional cavity 13 has a volume of about 6 cm 3 , and can contain, for example butter, peanut butter, spread, jam.
• the second additional cavity 14 has a capacity of approximately 18 cm 3 . It can be used at lunch for salad dressing, which corresponds to around 250 kJoules. It can be used at dinner for cheese, which corresponds to about 210 kJoules.
• the handle 13a or 14a can be identical for the two additional cavities 13 and 14, having a length of approximately 5 cm, with a curvature in its center for a better grip.
• the main cavities A and C may advantageously be provided with pouring spouts, as shown in FIG. 9, for use with liquid foods.
• the device according to the invention is particularly intended for anyone suffering from excess weight. People with major obesity will be able to use the device over a year to lose up to 30, 40 or 50 kilograms.
• the device can be advantageously used by anyone with a slight excess weight wanting to lose 1 to 4 kilograms.
• the volume of the device can be chosen according to the size, weight, age and activity of the user.
• the device according to the invention is designed for domestic use, in order to define food rations, while allowing food to be taken directly from the device as from a plate.
• the device can itself be a cooked dish that can be reheated in the microwave.
• the packaging then has the dimensions of the device, adaptable on a base or usable in itself, closed by a protective film.
• the devices of the invention are used in dietetic restaurant chains, with volumes adapted to the wishes of the clientele, for example corresponding to energy values of 1,100 k Calories, 1,300 k Calories, 1,80O k Calories, 2,200 k Calories, etc.
• the base 4 can be provided on its lower face with male-female engagement means in addition to the shapes of the main containers A, B and C arranged on the upper face of the base.
• the packaging of the different elements after use can also be compacted as illustrated in FIG.
• the base 4 is foldable along the diametral line L into two half-discs, and one of the half-discs receives the main cavity A, on which the main cavities B and C are stacked together in one another, and the additional cavities 14 and 13 together in one another.
• the device of the invention it is possible to eat bread contained in the corresponding cavity indicated above every day. If we replace bread with cereals, the energy power remains essentially the same. Naturally, certain foods such as cereals in milk can advantageously be transferred to another bowl to avoid overflowing, once the measurements have been made in the device of the invention. Since cereals are chosen in the morning, the additional cavity reserved for butter can be used for cooking midday foods.
• the main cavity C in the morning, reserved for cut fruit, can be replaced by a fruit juice.
• the cavity A reserved for raw vegetables can be replaced by cooked vegetables: carrot, cucumber, zucchini, green beans, pepper, ratatouille, sauerkraut (without fat), cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms.
• starchy vegetables potatoes, peas, ...) are excluded.
• the additional cavity 14 reserved for salad dressing can be exchanged with light cream for spinach, or with a light sauce for fish or meat (bechamel, white, mustard, tomato sauce ).
• Cavity A will also have a different weight if you put a green salad or a carrot or cucumber salad. It is important to vary the composition of meals. During dinner, cavity A is reserved for soup. It is possible to soak the bread from cavity B.
• Cavity C has a volume which corresponds to a medium-sized banana, which can therefore be eaten by hand.
• the present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants and generalizations thereof contained in the field of claims

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• General Preparation And Processing Of Foods (AREA)
• Food-Manufacturing Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

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• 2004
  • 2004-04-28 FR FR0405109A patent/FR2859895B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-09-17 EP EP04769404A patent/EP1662897A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-09-17 CA CA002539282A patent/CA2539282A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2004-09-17 WO PCT/IB2004/003028 patent/WO2005025328A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2004-09-17 US US10/572,019 patent/US20070062940A1/en not_active Abandoned

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