FR2629060A1 - Automatic non-return valve for food container lids - has double walled lid enclosing valve disc with apertures to allow escape of gases from within container - Google Patents

Abstract

The lid of a food container e.g. an aluminium foil dish has a double wall (1,7) in one or more sections. The walls (1,7) have holes in them (3,4,8) but not on the same axes. A round disc (10) is enclosed between the double wall (1,7) and acts as a non-return valve. The disc has openings around its periphery (11,12) and normally rests on the lower wall (7). When the container is heated to treat the food e.g. during cooking or sterilising heat treatment water vapour, steam and hot air from inside the container escapes through the non-return valve by lifting the non-return valve and allowing the gases to escape (A). On cooling, the disc falls back onto the wall (7) where it seals the container. The disc and the upper surface of wall (7) may be coated with a self sealing adhesive. ADVANTAGE - The non-return valve allows food to be cooked or treated in situ without removing the container lid and this prevents any ingress of dirt and contamination of the food before use. (10pp Dwg.No.1/15)

Description

(d) FRENCH REPUBLIC Publication No. 2,629,060 (to be used only

  for NATIONAL INSTITUTE reproduction orders)

PROPERTY: INDUSTRIAL

  OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY NO national registration 88 04345 PARIS

Int CI4 B 65 D 81/24, 53/04, 55/02.

  A1 PATENT APPLICATION

  Filing date: March 28, 1988. Q Applicant (s): COOK- IN-PACK SA. - FR.

Q Priority

) Inventor (s) Michel Beizermann.

  (Date of public availability of the

  application: BOPI "Patents" n 39 of September 29, 1989.

  (i References to other national documents appearing

rented: (t Holder (s)

  Roman Cabinet agent (s).

  (i Automatic sealing device by thermal conditioning effect for food preparations with

deferred consumption.

  (The object of the invention relates to an automatic shutter device by thermal conditioning effect for

  food preparations with deferred consumption.

  It is constituted by the combination on the one hand of a capacity AA 9 formed by a double wall 1, 7 pierced on its lower parts 8 and upper 3, 4 and preferably positioned 11 in the axis of the packaging lid and on the other hand by a washer 10 pierced forming a non-return valve

  q moving freely in the vertical plane inside the es-

interlayer space of its housing.

  It is intended for the realization of a specific lid of the trays by eliminating any manipulation until the consumption of the product while totally avoiding the risks of IVA contamination and contamination during the operations of

  CD closing handling and storage.

  O o Nl ent booklets at MPRIMERIE NATIONALE. 27. rue de la onvention75732 PARIS CEDEX 15 LI Sale of booklets to the NATIONAL IMPRIMERIE. 27. rue de la Convention - 75732 PARIS CEDEX 15 - l- 2629060

  The object of the invention relates to a shutter device

  automatic ration by thermal conditioning effect for

  food preparations with deferred consumption.

  It is intended for the realization of a specific cover

  fique trays by eliminating any manipulation until the consumption of the product by totally avoiding the risks of soiling and contamination during the closing operations

handling and storage.

  Dishes prepared in the food industry are generally packaged in packaging formed by

  aluminum foil, syn resin boxes or trays

  aesthetic or in various complexes, such as cartons with pelicu-

  age of films. These packages are closed, either by crimping,

  either by thernlo-collage. The shutter operations do not allow

  weren't to keep all the taste properties of products whose aromas and aromas evaporated during the closing phase when the external pollution could reach

the preparation.

  The device according to the invention eliminates these drawbacks

  by allowing the air in the packaging to escape during cooking when there is overpressure by preventing outside air from entering the tray during cooling when the vacuum occurs inside so that the food is pasteurized during cooking in a sterile packaging which ensures a conservation of several

  weeks even without freezing or other complementary means.

  It consists of a combination of a capacity formed on the one hand by a double wall pierced on its lower and upper parts and preferably positioned in the axis of the packaging cover and on the other hand by a pierced washer forming a non-return valve. moving freely in the vertical plane within the infill space of

his accommodation.

  In the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples of achieving the object of the invention Figure 1 shows the valve in its housing

  placed on the upper part of the packaging.

  - 2 - Figures 2 and 3 show the packaging seen

in elevation and in plan.

  Figures 4, 5, 6 show in the same

  conditions an alternative embodiment of the same device.

  Figures 7, 8, 9 show a variant of exe

  cution using a complex of two perforated films.

  Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 show two

  other variants using a solenoid valve

  daire of the tray abturable by a film acting as

membrane.

  The automatic shutter device is constituted (FIGS. 1, 4) by a sealing surface 1 or cover pierced with orifices 3, 4, 5, 6 preferably in circular point sectors. A double partition 7 axially pierced 8 determines an intermediate space 9 or a receiving capacity of a washer

  peripherally pierced 11, 12 in a number of corresponding orifices

  laying on the upper part forming a movable cover stabilized in its sealing function and guided in its movement in the free vertical plane up and down, but not able to undergo

  a lateral displacement likely to disturb both the eva-

cuation as shutter.

  When warming up or cooking or not

  product contained in the packaging 14

  waterproof and sterilized hot air and steam escape

  badly. During cooking, the air contained in the tray

  14 expands under the action of heat.

  The tray swells and could even burst if air does not escape from the orifices 8, 3, 4, and the perforations 11, 12, of the valve 10, arrows A. The valve itself being pressed against the wall

superior 1.

  During cooling or refrigeration it

  produces the opposite phenomenon, under the action of cold, a depression

  Zion is created inside the tray 14 causing suction, arrow B. The valve 10 is pressed against the bottom wall 7 and

  closes the orifice 8 sealing the closure of the packaging.

  This closure is carried out automatically without

  :. handling eliminating any risk of pollution or defect in tar-

  cheatization. This valve can be produced in different ways, figures

4, 5, 6.

  It is aihsi that the surface 1 is pierced with a single axial hole 15 while the wall 7 has holes 16,

  17 and others. The valve 18 having only an axial opening.

  When the hot air escapes, arrows C, the valve plate on the wall 1 and the gaseous or vapor fluid

  escapes through holes 16, 17, 19 and 15.

  When cooling the valve 18 plates on the

  bottom and plugs the holes 16, 17 and others.

  It is possible to coat the underside of the valves

  non-return with self-adhesive diluting with heat only-

  ment and adhering only after cooling to avoid accidental opening by impact, deformation or other in progress

conservation.

  According to a first variant of application (fig 7, 8, 9) the tray 14 is sealed by a complex of two films, 21, laminated to one another except for the strips

  longitudinal uncoated 22, and welded all around 26.

of the tray 14.

  On these strips, the films will be perforated with holes 23, 2L, which during manufacture will be staggered

one to another.

  According to a second alternative embodiment (fig 10,11, -

  12), a valve 27 integral with the tray 14, consists of a vertical tube communicating with the outside through an orifice 28 located at the bottom of the tray. The upper opening 29 of the tube slightly raised relative to the cover 1 can be either closed off or released by the sealing film 30 which acts as a

membrane.

  According to a third alternative embodiment (fig 13, 14,), an orifice 31, disposed on the flat edge 32 of the tray 14 forms the seat of a valve whose closure is ensured by the

sealing film 33.

  Finally, according to a last variant, the tray is closed by a perforated film releasing the air and the vapors during cooking or reheating. At the end of cooking, said perforations are obstructed by coating with varnish, glue, wax, plastic material or the like. This is why the shapes, dimensions and arrangements

  different elements may vary within the limit of equic-

  slow, like the materials used to make them

  tion, without changing for that, the general conception of the invention

tion which has just been described.

_ 5 _- 2629060

Claims (7)

  1 Automatic shutter for thermal effect   than packaging for consumer food preparations   deferred tion having for object a sealing preferably trays and others by using on the one hand the effects of expansion and exhaust of hot air or steam during cooking operations, and on the other hand the contraction during cooling for ensure by a non-return valve the hermetic sealing of the packaging by eliminating pollution and loss of aromas occurring during the closing operation, characterized by the combination of a capacity   (9) formed by a double partition (1, 7) at the pre-   preferentially axial of a packaging (14) with upper (3, 4) and lower (8) perforations and on the other hand by the positioning of a non-return valve or sealing washer (10) in the intermediate space (9) being specified that said washer has peripheral orifices (11, 12) and the like, and is placed freely to effect a vertical displacement from top to bottom and from bottom to top, either to release the orifices, or to close them with guide prevent movement   lateral which can disturb the evacuations and obturations.   2 Device according to claim 1 is characterized   sant by the fact that the covering part of the packaging has a series of holes (3, 4, 5, 6) a single axial hole (8) at the bottom forming the bottom while the washer   or non-return valve (10) is closed axially and drilled at the periphery   rique (11, 12) thus achieving staggered breakthroughs.   3 Device according to claim 1 or according to an alternative embodiment characterized in that the axial capacity comprises at its upper part a single orifice (15) and on its bottom wall a series of peripheral orifices (16, 17) and others, while the valve or cover (18) placed freely in its housing performs a guided vertical displacement according to   the shuttering of the automatic sealing frame. - 6 -   4 Device according to a characteristic variant of execution   laughed at by the fact that the sealing of the tray (14) is carried out by means of two films (20, 21) having perforations   (22, 23) and laminated together in longitudi-   nales (25) located between the perforations (23, 24) and in such a way that the holes (23) of the film (20) are staggered   relative to the holes (24) of the film (21).     Device according to an alternative embodiment, characterized in that the tray (14) is provided with a valve   (27) constituted by a tube passing through the tray and communicating   as for the outside by an orifice (28) located at the bottom of the tray (14) and the upper orifice of which is closed by a film sealing (30).   6 Device according to an alternative embodiment characterized by an orifice (31) located on the rim (32) of the tray (14) and closed by a film (33).   7 Device according to a. variant of character   laughed at by the fact that the tray lid consists of a perforated film, the perforations of which are blocked after cooking or reheating the contents of the tray by coating   varnish, glue, plastic or other material. 6 Dk Sheets / He, gl, / _. E .- '1II I,' l E / L '* 9d C \ l C CD CYCM4C ' cD Jq <y). CJ w- v- II ELNocsle X As \ N O) c J cs cs ( C ^ 7L1! -. at --g- i L Co 46? z CE, 'Elo c