GB2171190A

GB2171190A - Thermal pack for food products

Info

Publication number: GB2171190A
Application number: GB08603632A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Grunewald Claudio Lichtenstein
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-02-18
Filing date: 1986-02-14
Publication date: 1986-08-20
Also published as: IT1204455B; FR2577528A1; GB8603632D0; FR2577528B3; IT8619450A0; ES284691U; IT8620981V0; ES284691Y; DE3604664A1

Abstract

A thermal pack for food products, characterised essentially in that it comprises a container body advantageously having a orthohedral shape, the walls of which are provided with coverings of a material having a low heat transmission coefficient, one of the sides being open and prepared to receive a cover of conjugate dimensions, with means in different sides for holding it in sealed position on the open side of the container. The cover may be of a material having a low heat transmission coefficient so that the pack may be used for storing cold or frozen products or it may include a heating device connected to control devices 9 so that products within the pack may be heated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A thermal pack for food products This Patent relates to a container for containing food products, allowing them to be adequately packaged and acting as a container, as packing for carriage and as heater for the food products contained therein.

As is known, there are currently consumed a large number of food products, which are prepared for storage during a longer or shorter period of time under low temperature conditions and they are thawed out and/or heated immediately before use.

Such is the case of meat products, fish, green vegetables and fruits and prepared dishes, which may be preserved for a long period of time at very low temperatures and be thawed out and-or heated prior to use. This normally requires the availability of heat insulated containers in which the food products are transported and stored and the food products immediately prior to preparation of the dishes or to consumption must be subjected to a heating or cooking stage which is effected in an electrically supplied or fuel heated heating apparatus or cooker.

The prior art packing system is impractical and also is expensive, since if the container is provided in the interior thereof with heating means for the frozen products, a substantially voluminous and considerably expensive electric heating device is required.

The thermal packing for food products which is the object of this patent provides important advantages for the above objective, since it may be used in due time as a product container and as packing for carriage and storing of the products at low temperature, with a practically perfect insulation relative to the environment and, consequently, to the conservation of all the product properties. Finally, it may be used to provide the frozen product with an amount of heat restoring it to room temperature or even to a higher temperature, suitable for immediate consumption orforthe preparation of dishes in combination with other food products.

The thermal pack described hereinafter consists of a container body having walls characterised by their low heat conduction, being made for example from sheets of a cellular material having a low coefficient of heat transmission, such as expanded polyurethane, cork or any other, optionally provided with an external and internal covering. The container is advantageously orthohedral in shape, with one of the sides open, to which there may be fitted as required a demountable sealing door or a heating panel to provide heat for the frozen products.

To facilitate the explanation, this specification is accompanied by drawings showing as an illustrative and non limitative example one embodiment of a thermal pack for food products, according to the principles ofthe claims.

In the drawings.

Figure 1 shows the new pack closed and with its insulating cover in place.

Figure 2 shows the pack without its insulating cover and with the open side facing the heating panel.

Figure 3 is a cross section of the new device on a longitudinal and vertical plane Ill-Ill of figure 5 and figure 4 is a cross section through a horizontal plane IV-IV with the cover in place, while figure 5 shows the open side of the pack.

Figure 6 shows the thermal pack being described, when the active panel for heating the content is applied to the open side.

The parts designated with numbers in the drawings correspond to the parts indicated hereinafter.

The container body -1- is of orthohedral form, open on one of the sides, preferably one of the larger sides, to which there is optionally fitted a sealing cover -2- which is applied and held in place by a set of fastening elements -3- and -4- which may be formed by demountable closures of different types.

The walls of the body -1- and of the cover -2- are made from a material having a low thermal conductivity, advantageously covered on the inside and the outside, and may also, for the purposes of having a good mechanical strength, be made of sheet metal with a heat insulating covering inside or outside.

The body -1- with its cover will be usd to contain, to transport and to store frozen products, or products chilled to a low temperature in a conventional freezing aparatus not claimed here.

When it is required to heat the food products, there is applied thereto a certain amount of heat without it being necessary to take them out of the container body -1-, to which purpose this is separated from the cover -2- and there is fitted to its open side a heating panel -5- having dimensions larger than those of the open side of the body -1- and provided with a recess -6- having dimensions equivalent to the opening, whereby the panel is fitted temporarily as a cover to the container.

The panel -5- contains a heating device, constituted advantageously by a group of suitably insulated electric heating elements -7- from which there is derived a connector means -8- and a supply cable, the end of which will be connected to a current supply by way of a plug.

An examination of the figures allows it to be understood that the heating of the panel -5- causes a uniform application of heat to the interior of the body -1- and, therefore, to the products contained therein, causing them to be thawed out or to be heated.

The heating panel -5- may be complemented with thermal control devices -9-, such as a thermometer, a thermostat associated with the heating panel supply or a timer, and comprise an air convection device for levelling out the temperature inside the container.

1. Athermal packforfood products, characterised essentially in that it comprises a container body advantageously having a orthohedral shape, the walls of which are provided with coverings of a material having a low heat transmission coefficient, one of the sides being open and prepared to receive a cover of conjugate dimensions, with means in different sides for holding it in sealed position on the open side of the container.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A thermal pack for food products This Patent relates to a container for containing food products, allowing them to be adequately packaged and acting as a container, as packing for carriage and as heater for the food products contained therein. As is known, there are currently consumed a large number of food products, which are prepared for storage during a longer or shorter period of time under low temperature conditions and they are thawed out and/or heated immediately before use. Such is the case of meat products, fish, green vegetables and fruits and prepared dishes, which may be preserved for a long period of time at very low temperatures and be thawed out and-or heated prior to use. This normally requires the availability of heat insulated containers in which the food products are transported and stored and the food products immediately prior to preparation of the dishes or to consumption must be subjected to a heating or cooking stage which is effected in an electrically supplied or fuel heated heating apparatus or cooker. The prior art packing system is impractical and also is expensive, since if the container is provided in the interior thereof with heating means for the frozen products, a substantially voluminous and considerably expensive electric heating device is required. The thermal packing for food products which is the object of this patent provides important advantages for the above objective, since it may be used in due time as a product container and as packing for carriage and storing of the products at low temperature, with a practically perfect insulation relative to the environment and, consequently, to the conservation of all the product properties. Finally, it may be used to provide the frozen product with an amount of heat restoring it to room temperature or even to a higher temperature, suitable for immediate consumption orforthe preparation of dishes in combination with other food products. The thermal pack described hereinafter consists of a container body having walls characterised by their low heat conduction, being made for example from sheets of a cellular material having a low coefficient of heat transmission, such as expanded polyurethane, cork or any other, optionally provided with an external and internal covering. The container is advantageously orthohedral in shape, with one of the sides open, to which there may be fitted as required a demountable sealing door or a heating panel to provide heat for the frozen products. To facilitate the explanation, this specification is accompanied by drawings showing as an illustrative and non limitative example one embodiment of a thermal pack for food products, according to the principles ofthe claims. In the drawings. Figure 1 shows the new pack closed and with its insulating cover in place. Figure 2 shows the pack without its insulating cover and with the open side facing the heating panel. Figure 3 is a cross section of the new device on a longitudinal and vertical plane Ill-Ill of figure 5 and figure 4 is a cross section through a horizontal plane IV-IV with the cover in place, while figure 5 shows the open side of the pack. Figure 6 shows the thermal pack being described, when the active panel for heating the content is applied to the open side. The parts designated with numbers in the drawings correspond to the parts indicated hereinafter. The container body -1- is of orthohedral form, open on one of the sides, preferably one of the larger sides, to which there is optionally fitted a sealing cover -2- which is applied and held in place by a set of fastening elements -3- and -4- which may be formed by demountable closures of different types. The walls of the body -1- and of the cover -2- are made from a material having a low thermal conductivity, advantageously covered on the inside and the outside, and may also, for the purposes of having a good mechanical strength, be made of sheet metal with a heat insulating covering inside or outside. The body -1- with its cover will be usd to contain, to transport and to store frozen products, or products chilled to a low temperature in a conventional freezing aparatus not claimed here. When it is required to heat the food products, there is applied thereto a certain amount of heat without it being necessary to take them out of the container body -1-, to which purpose this is separated from the cover -2- and there is fitted to its open side a heating panel -5- having dimensions larger than those of the open side of the body -1- and provided with a recess -6- having dimensions equivalent to the opening, whereby the panel is fitted temporarily as a cover to the container. The panel -5- contains a heating device, constituted advantageously by a group of suitably insulated electric heating elements -7- from which there is derived a connector means -8- and a supply cable, the end of which will be connected to a current supply by way of a plug. An examination of the figures allows it to be understood that the heating of the panel -5- causes a uniform application of heat to the interior of the body -1- and, therefore, to the products contained therein, causing them to be thawed out or to be heated. The heating panel -5- may be complemented with thermal control devices -9-, such as a thermometer, a thermostat associated with the heating panel supply or a timer, and comprise an air convection device for levelling out the temperature inside the container. CLAIMS

2. A thermal pack for ood products, according to the previous claim, characterised by the provision of a heating panel to prvide heat to the interior of the container and formed by a flattened body having dimensions proportioned to those of the open side of the container, with temporary holding means for mutual connection, the panel comprising in the interior thereof a group of heating elements, pro vided with means for regulation, control and convec tion of the heat generated.