FR2784488A1 - Food product sample that can be spoiled by heat is placed in saucer on insulated support - Google Patents

Abstract

A sample of a food product that is liable to be spoiled by heat, e.g. a wrapped square of chocolate or portion of butter, is placed on a saucer (3) under a cup (4) containing a hot liquid by means of a support (1) of a thermal insulation material e.g. cardboard, plastic or wood. The support is made in the form of a cut and folded flat card panel with one end folded to create an inverted V-section screen (6) in contact with the outer surface of the cup, while the other end rests on the rim (2) of the saucer.

Description

PROCESS FOR PRESENTING A SAMPLE OF A PRODUCT

  FOOD LIKELY TO DEGRADE TO HEAT AND

  SUPPORT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCH A PROCESS

  The present invention relates to a sample of a food product capable of degrading under heat, in particular, a sample of butter or chocolate. The present invention also relates to a method of presenting such a sample on a

  saucer placed under a bowl or cup type container.

  Restaurateurs and cafetiers generally serve coffee and tea accompanied by a square of chocolate placed on a saucer which supports the cup filled with hot liquid. In the case of breakfast, this square of chocolate is replaced by a sample of butter which, for convenience, is also placed on the saucer. The heat released by the external wall of the cup which is transmitted by conduction to the saucer and, by convection, to the air surrounding the container, causes the

  fast melting of the chocolate or butter placed on the saucer.

  Furthermore, even when the temperature of the cup is not high enough to transmit a sufficient amount of heat to the saucer, causing the sample to melt, or when the material of the saucer is such as heat transfer by conduction from the cup to the saucer is limited, risks of fusion of the sample nevertheless exist, in particular, when the latter comes into direct contact

with the outer wall of the cup.

  This direct contact between the sample and the cup is difficult to avoid given the small free annular space between the cup and the rim of the saucer. On the one hand, the server generally does not have the time to correctly place the sample on the saucer so as to avoid its contact with the external wall of the cup. On the other hand, even when the sample is judiciously placed, without contact with the external wall of the cup, the transport of the cup-saucer assembly inevitably involves a displacement of the sample which, due to the small free space between the outer wall of the cup and the rim of the saucer, is always, at one time or another, in contact with

  the outer wall of the cup and therefore may melt.

  The fusion of the butter or chocolate sample alters both its taste qualities, its aesthetic appearance and also represents discomfort to its consumption. Indeed, the consumer does not fail to get dirty by grabbing or unpacking, for consumption, the sample

  which has melted and has therefore softened or even liquefied.

  Document FR-A-2 760 727 proposes a device for supporting a chocolate which, pinching on the edge of the saucer, makes it possible to move the chocolate away from the saucer and from the hot container, thus avoiding the melting of the sample. Although effective, such a device is not stable during the transport of the cup placed on the saucer and moreover considerably increases the size of the latter. Indeed, this device extending well beyond the diameter and the height of the saucer, it represents a considerable inconvenience for the waiters who sometimes have to carry several saucers and cups at the same time, possibly stacked one on the other, either in their hands,

either on trays.

  The present invention proposes to provide, on the one hand, a method of presenting a sample of food product, such as butter or chocolate, on a saucer placed under a cup, which makes it possible to avoid the melting of this sample and secondly a support of

  presentation intended for the implementation of this process.

  This object is achieved by means of a method of presenting a sample of a food product liable to degrade under heat, in particular, a sample of butter or chocolate, on a saucer placed under a cup-type container. or bowl, by means of a thermally insulating support which comprises a wall, one face of which constitutes the face for presenting the sample. According to the invention, typically, the support comprising screen means, the support is placed on the saucer by orienting the screen means towards the external wall of the container so that, the screen means possibly and preferably coming from abutment against the external wall of the container and the sample being integral with or placed on the presentation face of the support, the screen means are

  interposed between the sample and the outer wall of the container.

  The support being placed on the saucer and not on the edge of it, the support creates only a small additional space. The presence of the screen means makes it possible to avoid any contact between the sample and the external wall of the container, even in

  case of movement of the saucer-cup assembly.

  In addition, the means forming screens being able to abut against the external wall of the container, they thus ensure greater

  support stability, especially when transporting the cup assembly

saucer.

  According to a variant implementation of the method of the invention, the screen means consist of a partition wall which extends the presentation face and extends transversely with respect to

to the latter.

  The present invention also relates to a presentation medium intended for the implementation of the presentation method

previously described.

  According to a first embodiment of this support, the wall of the support is an inclined wall which has an insulating face acting as screen means and which is opposite to said presentation face and a support edge intended to be placed on Saucer. The inclined face of the support is preferably placed in abutment against the external wall of the container in order to provide it with a more

stable.

  According to a variant of this embodiment, the wall of the support further comprises lateral stability flaps which makes it possible not necessarily to press the inclined wall against the external wall of the container. Due to the great stability of this first embodiment of the support of the invention and the good thermal protection it provides to the sample, its position of the support on the saucer relative to the container does not have to be extremely precise and the transport of the saucer-container assembly comprising the support of the invention therefore requires no special precautions. In particular, due to the use of an inclined wall, one face of which forms a screen between the sample and the hot wall of the container, the sample cannot in any case come into direct contact with the hot wall of the container, avoiding thus any risk of fusion of the latter even during its transport. Thus, the use of the support according to the present invention allows an appreciable saving of time for the server who can dispose without special precautions the sample of the invention on the saucer and then transport the assembly to the

consumer table.

  Preferably, the lateral stability flaps are substantially triangular and the presentation support further comprises a flap for holding the two lateral stability flaps which is integral with the inclined wall of the support and which has at each of its ends a tongue capable of cooperate with a notch substantially

  triangular formed in each of the lateral stability flaps.

  The presence of the holding flap keeps the two side flaps in a position ensuring optimal stability of the sample. In particular, the sample can be moved then rested or subjected to vibrations without modifying the spacing of the lateral stability flaps and therefore without prejudice to the stability of the sample

himself.

  According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the screen means consist of a partition wall which extends the presentation face in a direction substantially

transverse to the latter.

  According to a preferred variant, the partition wall comprises a first and a second portion which extend transversely relative to the presentation face by forming substantially an inverted V

  the point of which is located above the presentation face.

  The mode of formation of this partition wall is not limiting of the invention. Preferably, the partition wall is formed

  by folding a portion of the wall of the support.

  According to the invention, the shape of the sample is not limited.

  The butter or chocolate sample can, for example, be in the form of a wafer or a tablet, if desired.

packed in packaging.

  According to the present invention, the presentation support can be ready for use or in a form intended to be mounted before use. Advantageously, the support is shaped by folding from a flat blank. A support in the form of a sheet is, in fact, easier to store and transport, before

  use, without risk of deterioration.

  The possible means of securing the sample to the presentation support and their location are not limited within the scope of the invention. These joining means can be

  mechanical or chemical and equip either the support or the sample itself

  even. The support of the invention can be made, for example, of plastic, wood or any other material which is not thermally conductive or which conducts heat poorly. Preferably, for manufacturing convenience and for cost reasons, the sample support is made of cardboard. A cardboard support can be discarded with, if necessary, the wrapping paper for the butter sample or

  chocolate without causing too much harm to the environment.

  The present invention will be better understood and its advantages

  will appear better on reading the description which follows and refers

  in the accompanying drawings of a particular embodiment of the present invention, presented by way of nonlimiting example, in which: - Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the support of the invention arranged on a saucer placed under a container whose outer wall is hot and which has on its presentation face a sample; - Figure 2 shows only the presentation support of Figure 1, arranged on the saucer; - Figure 3 shows the flat blank allowing, by folding, to obtain the presentation support of Figure 2; - Figure 4 shows the first embodiment of the support of the invention mounted; - Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the second embodiment of the support of the invention, - Figure 6 shows the support of Figure 5, arranged on a saucer and supporting a sample; FIG. 7 represents an example of a flat blank from which,

  by folding, it is possible to obtain the support of FIG. 5.

  Referring to Figure 1, a first embodiment of the invention comprises a presentation support 1 secured to a small plate 2 of butter or chocolate. The support 1 is placed on a saucer 3 placed under a cup 4 filled with hot liquid and of which, consequently, the external wall 4a is hot. The support 1 is placed more exactly on the zone A situated between the edge 3a of the saucer 3 and the external wall 4a of the cup 4. The wall 1a of the support 1 is inclined and has a presentation face 1b oriented towards the edge 3a of the saucer 3 and an insulating face lc oriented towards the wall 4a of the cup 4. The presentation face lb has a support edge ld in contact with the saucer 3 and an insulating edge inclined towards the wall 4a of the cup 4. The insulation face 1c (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the inclined wall 1a also includes a support edge 1f and an insulating edge lg situated respectively opposite the support edge ld and the insulating edge le of the presentation face lb. The support edges ld and if are parallel and delimit the support edge 1 D. Likewise, the insulating edges le and 1g are parallel and delimit the insulating edge 1 E. The plate 2 is secured to the presentation face 1 b at the level of the lower part thereof, that is to say above the support edge 1 d, without contact with the rim 3a of the saucer 3, so as to be protected from any thermal transfer . If the heat transfer caused by the saucer is low, contact between the plate 2 and

  the saucer 3 or the rim 3a thereof is also possible.

  The insulation face 1c constitutes in this embodiment a means forming a screen between the hot wall 4a of the cup 4 and the wafer 2 and can advantageously also act as abutment means since it can come into contact with the wall. cup 4a hot 4a at the insulating stop 1q without causing the sample to melt, but on the contrary thus ensuring better stability at

support 1.

  Referring to Figure 2, the area of the presentation face lb o is secured to the wafer 2, has an adhesive pad 5 intended to secure the wrapping paper of the wafer 2 on the support 1. It is also possible in the scope of the invention to produce this adhesive patch 5 of a non-toxic adhesive material, such as, for example, sugar, which makes it possible to secure a

  plate 2 not wrapped on support 1.

  With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the presentation support 1 also includes triangular lateral stability flaps 1 h and 1 i, the first side 1i, lk of which is integral with the inclined wall 1a, the second side 1, 1 m is in support on the saucer 3 and the third side 1 n, 1 o is substantially parallel to the wall 4a of the cup. The presentation support 1 being thermally insulating, the third side ln, 1Q of each of the lateral stability flaps 1h and 1i is capable of being in direct contact with the wall 4a of the cup 4 without however transmitting the heat of cup 4 to plate 2. Similarly, although the second side 1! and lm of each of the lateral stability flaps 1 h and 1 li is in contact with the hot saucer 3, the presentation support 2 being thermally insulating, the quantity of heat transmitted by conduction to the wafer 2 is insufficient to melt it. Each of the 1 h, 1 i stability flaps is provided with a triangular notch l p and l1q. A substantially rectangular retaining flap (FIGS. 3 and 4) is integral along its length with the support edge 1 D of the support 1. The retaining flap 1 r is provided at each of its longitudinal ends with a tongue, respectively ls and It likely to cooperate with each of the notches lp and 1q. The tabs ls and It have a substantially trapezoidal shape whose largest base B (FIG. 3) is distant from the holding flap 1 r and

  whose small base b is secured to the side of the holding flap 1 r.

  When the presentation support 1 is shaped (Figure 4) the tabs ls and It are engaged in the notches lp, 1_q. The presence of the holding flap l r between the two lateral stability flaps lh, li prevent them from approaching one another and therefore adversely affect the stability of the sample. Similarly, by their flared shape, the tabs ls and It prevent, once engaged in the notches lp and 1Q, the lateral stability flaps 1h, 1i from moving away from each other which would also harm the stability of the sample. Indeed, the shapes of the notches lp and 1q do not allow the free passage of the large base B of each of the tongues ls and It through the notches lp and lq, which limits the spacing between the two lateral stability flaps 1 h, 1 i and maintains them in the position which gives the sample of the invention optimal stability. According to the particular embodiment presented above, the presentation support 1 is made of cardboard and the corresponding fold lines p at the sides lj and 1k of the stability flaps 1h and li and at the support edges lf and ld, are marked, on the flat blank of FIG. 3 by a perforation of the 2x2 point type. A conventional grooving or any other method of marking the lines can also be implemented

  without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  With reference to FIG. 5, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the presentation support 1 comprises a substantially planar wall which has a presentation face 1 b intended to receive the sample 2 and an insulating face 1 ' c opposite the presentation face 1b. The screen means consist of a separation wall 6 fitted to the stop 1 d of the wall la, extending the presentation face 1b and extending transversely to the latter. The partition wall 6 comprises two portions 6a and 6b articulated with respect to each other at the level of a fold 6c. The portion 6a extends the presentation face 1b and extends transversely thereto. The portion 6b of the partition wall 6 forms at the fold 6c with the portion 6a an inverted V capable of deforming; the tip of the V being disposed above the presentation face 1b. With reference to FIG. 6, when the support 1 shown in FIG. 5 is placed on a saucer 3 which is placed under a cup 4, the sample 2 is placed on the side 1b presenting the support 1. Due to the inclination of the saucer 3 which is slightly concave, the sample 2 which is for example simply placed on the presentation face 1b is driven by its weight towards the cup 4. The portion 6b of the partition wall 6 then comes in abutment against the hot wall 4a of the cup 4. The two portions 6a and 6b articulated at the level of the fold 6c make it possible, by their spring effect, to provide, in all cases, a layer of insulating air between the saucer 3 and the faces of the portions 6a and 6b oriented towards the saucer 3 and to perfectly wedge the support and the sample, in particular, by absorbing any shocks

during transport.

  The stop of the wall la of the support can either come into abutment against the rim 3a of the saucer 3 in order to ensure better wedging of the support 1, or as shown in FIG. 6, slightly protrude from the saucer so facilitate the implementation of the support of the invention. FIG. 7 shows an example of a flat blank that it is possible to fold to obtain the support according to the second embodiment of the present invention. By folding the wall la at the fold line l'd, we form the partition wall 6. By folding along line 6c, we form

  then the portions 6a and 6b of this partition wall 6.

  When the support 1 is formed in accordance with FIG. 5, it is then placed on the saucer 3, the portion 6b preferably coming into abutment against the wall 4a of the cup 4 and it is deposited on the presentation face 1b of the wall 1, the sample 2. The sample 2 is then driven by its weight which ensures the stability of the support 1 on the

saucer 3.

  It is also possible to secure the sample 2 to the presentation face 1b of the wall but in this case the support 1 is not

necessarily reusable.

  It is also possible according to the invention to provide the wall 11a with a partition wall 6 formed of a single portion 6a extending

  transversely to the presentation face 1 b.

  Similarly, the portions 6a and 6b of the partition wall are not necessarily articulated with respect to each other but can also form an inverted non-deformable V whose tip is located above the presentation face 1b. In the embodiment described above, the partition wall is integrated into the wall 1a but it can also consist of a separate piece secured to the wall 1a at

Stop 1 d.

Claims (10)

  1. Method for presenting a sample (2) of a food product liable to degrade under heat, in particular, a sample of butter or chocolate, on a saucer (3) placed under a container (4) of the cup or bowl type, by means of a thermally insulating support (1) which comprises a wall (la_) one face of which constitutes the presentation face (lb) of the sample (2), characterized in that said support comprising screen means (lc, 6), said support (1) is placed on the saucer (3) by orienting the screen means (lc, 6) towards the external wall (4a) of the container (4) so that said means (lc, 6) possibly and preferably abutting against said external wall (4a) of the container (4), the sample (2) being integral with or placed on the presentation face (1b) of the support (1) , the screen means (1c, 6) are interposed between the sample (2)   and the outer wall (4a) of the container (4).   2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the screen means (6) consist of a partition wall (6a) which extends the presentation face (1b) and extends transversely by   relative to said presentation face (lb).   3. thermally insulating support (1) intended for implementing the method according to claim 1 or 2 and comprising a wall, one face of which constitutes the sample presentation face, characterized in that said wall (la) is a inclined wall which has an insulating face (1c) acting as screen means and which is opposite to said presentation face (lb) and a support edge (1D) intended to be placed on the saucer (3) 4. Support according to claim 3, characterized in that said   wall (la) further comprises lateral stability flaps (1h, 1i).   5. Support according to claim 4, characterized in that the lateral stability flaps (1h, 1i) are substantially triangular and in that the presentation support (1) further comprises a holding flap (lr) of the two flaps of lateral stability (1h, li) which is integral with the inclined wall of the support and which comprises at each of its ends a tongue (ls, 1t) capable of cooperating with a notch (1p, lq) substantially triangular formed in each of the flaps of stability lateral (lh, 1i).   6. Support according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that   that it is shaped by folding from a flat blank.   7. thermally insulating support for implementing the method according to claim 1 or 2, the screen means (6) being constituted by a partition wall (6a) which extends the presentation face (11b) in one direction substantially transverse to said presentation side (1 b).   8. Support according to claim 7, characterized in that said partition wall (6) comprises a first (6a) and a second portion (6b) which extend transversely relative to the presentation face (lb) forming substantially an inverted V whose tip is   located above said presentation face (1b).   9. Support claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said partition wall (6a, 6b) is formed by folding a portion of the wall (la).   10. Support according to any one of claims 7 to 9,   characterized in that it is formed by folding from a flat blank.