GB2332668A

GB2332668A - A secure container for food with a one-way valve

Info

Publication number: GB2332668A
Application number: GB9727339A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Blackburn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-12-24
Filing date: 1997-12-24
Publication date: 1999-06-30
Also published as: GB9727339D0

Abstract

A container 10 for securing delivered food, (eg milk) has means 15 for securing it to a fixed surface, a one-way, inwardly opening valve 17, 18 in the upper face 13 or in an upright face of the container, and a lid 14 adapted to cover the valve. The container 10, valve 17, 18 and lid 14 may be formed as one integral unit, from polypropylene or another synthetic polymeric material. Insulation may be provided on the inside of the container. The valve may consist of a plurality of resilient flaps 18 which extend towards each other from the periphery of the valve, and which are formed integral with the container 10. The lid 14 may be integrally formed and hinged to the container 10. The valve 17, 18 may be formed in an upper face 13 of the container, the upper face 13 being hinged to the body of the container 10. There may be a mounting bracket for securing the container to a fixed surface. Holes 15, 16 may be provided in the container 10 for receiving a screw or bolt in order to secure the container 10 to a fixed surface.

Description

Secure container for food and like deliveries.

The present invention is a container within which deliveries of food products and the like to a house or other building may be secured from the moment of the delivery until the tenant is able to remove them.

The problem of the theft of bottles of milk from outside houses, which is aggravated by the fact that milk deliveries are usually made in the early hours of the day before householders are awake, is a well-known one to which few effective solutions are available. In my UK Patent Specification No. 2263102 I have described a bottle security device which effectively answers this problem and into which the milk bottle is inserted through a one-way valve in a lower face of the container, upon which valve the bottle is subsequently supported within the container.

However, as the habits of food purchasers change, more food of more diverse types is delivered direct to the home by the supplier and deliveries may occur at any time of the day, irrespective of the movements of the householder. Thus not only milk but also other food products which may deteriorate if not adequately protected may be left for long periods exposed to the risks of theft and/or deterioration. The device described in my above patent specification was designed specifically with milk bottles in mind and is also not readily modified to heat-insulate its contents, particularly in the area of the one-way valve.

Clearly there is a need for an improved secure container for food products generally, in particular a container which may more readily be heat-insulated. It is an object of my present invention to provide such an improved container.

The improved product according to the present invention comprises a container to receive the delivered food products, means for securing the container to a fixed surface, a one-way, inwardly-opening valve in the upper face or in an upright face of the container, and a lid adapted to cover the one-way, inwardly-opening valve. By means of the lid, not only may additional security against theft be afforded to the container contents but also insulation may be provided across the space formed by the valve.

While the secure container according to the present invention may be designed to receive just one or more bottles of milk, it may usefully be of such a shape and dimensions as to contain a wider range of food products. Thus it may, for example, be loosely rectangular or oval in plan view, that is, somewhat wider in one direction than its depth transverse to that direction. Preferably at least one of its upright surfaces is generally flat, so that the container may be mounted closely against an adjacent fixed surface. However the container may take a wide range of shapes and dimensions, in particular commensurate with the typical dimensions of the food product or products which it is intended to receive. Preferably its edges, or at least those edges which are unprotected in use, are rounded rather than angular, to assist it being maintained in a clean condition.

The means by which the container may be secured to a fixed surface may comprise a mounting bracket specifically provided for that purpose. Such a mounting bracket may be secured to the container or may be formed integral with the container.

As a preferred alternative, the means may simply be one or more holes in the container, through which one or more screws or bolts may extend into the fixed surface to which the container is secured. In one form of the invention, the container is secured by a single screw or bolt passing through one such hole, with the result that the container may be turned from an upright orientation to a generally horizontal orientation, to adapt to the nature and/or needs of a product contained therein. A matching hole or holes may be provided in the opposite wall of the container, to permit a screwdriver or other fixing tool to be extended therethrough to secure the screw(s) and/or bolt(s). When the container is in use, the goods within the container may thus obstruct unauthorised access to the screw(s) or bolt(s).

The inwardly-opening valve is the means by which the contents are placed in the container by the deliverer of those goods.

I have described an advantageous form of such a valve in my patent specification to which I have referred above. Thus the valve preferably comprises a plurality of resilient flaps, which preferably are formed integral with the container and which are designed to be displaceable inwardly with respect to the container to enable the insertion of the relevant food product and which then return to a closed position. The flaps preferably extend towards each other from the periphery of the valve, which may usefully be circular, oval or in the form of a rectangle, including square, with rounded corners. If desired, at least one additional valve may be provided, in the same or a different surface of the container.

Unlike the valve in the milk-bottle container described in my above earlier patent specification, the valve in this present invention is located in an upright face, or more preferably in the upper face, of the container. In addition, a lid is provided which is adapted to cover the inwardly-opening valve.

The lid is preferably formed integral with the container itself and may be hinged thereto by means of a hinge itself formed integral with the container. By means of the lid, rain or other potential contaminants are prevented from entering the container via the one-way valve. In addition, the lid may contribute towards the heat-insulation of the contents of the container.

In one particularly advantageous form of the product according to my present invention, the upper surface of the container, with the valve formed therein, is itself hinged to the body of the container and may be secured thereto by a padlock or similar locking means, and the lid may in turn be hinged, for example from the opposite side, so as to fold down over the locking means and exclude potential contaminants from the latter.

The product of the present invention may be formed from any suitable, preferably weather-resistant, material. Preferably it is formed from a synthetic polymeric material, for example polypropylene, polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. I particularly prefer polypropylene for this purpose. As one alternative, the product may be formed from fibreglass, for example by pressure forming.

Preferably the body of the container, and preferably also the lid, are insulated on their inner surface. The insulation may be formed integral with the container and lid or, less preferably, may be adhered or otherwise attached to the inner surface of the container and of the lid.

While the product according to my present invention will itself assist in insulating the contents of the container, that is usually keeping the contents cool, and may do so even more effectively if provided with insulation as discussed above, additional protection for the contents may be afforded by placing a pre-cooled "cool bag" in the container, either before the goods are delivered or by the deliverer at the time of delivery.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example only, one preferred embodiment of the secure container according to my present invention and wherein: Fig.l is a perspective view of the container; and Fig.2 is a vertical sectional view from one side.

The illustrated container 10 is generally rectangular in side section but, as seen in Fig.1, while its rear wall 11 is flat, the front wall 12 adjoins the sides in rounded edges. The container 10 is formed in polypropylene in a single piece, with the inner face of the polypropylene expanded (not shown) to enhance its insulational properties. Formed as an upward extension to the front wall 12 is an inner lid 13, hinged to the wall 12 by an integral hinge. A second lid 14 is similarly formed as an integrally hinged upward extension to the rear wall 11. A single hole 15 in the wall 11 enables the container to be mounted against a wall or post by means of a bolt or screw. A hole 16 in the wall 12, aligned with the hole 15, permits the insertion of a screwdriver or other tool to tighten the bolt or screw.

Within the lid 13 there is a linear aperture 17, which has resilient flaps 18 which are formed integral with the lid and which can flex inwardly to permit a delivered product to be inserted into the container. In use, the lid 13 is closed down, by means of the hinge 19, to seal the container. The lid is locked in place by means of a padlock (not shown), which engages a tag 20 extending upwardly through a slot 21 in the lid. The second lid 14 is then closed down over the aperture 17 by means of the hinge 22.

When goods, for example packs of perishable food, are delivered to the house, the supplier raises the lid 14, inserts the goods through the slot 17 and lowers the lid. Subsequent removal of the delivered goods requires the lid 14 to be lifted, the padlock unlocked and the inner lid 13 to be lifted to permit access to the interior of the container.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A container for securing delivered food and like products, which container has means for securing it to a fixed surface, a one-way, inwardly-opening valve in the upper face or in an upright face of the container, and a lid adapted to cover the one-way, inwardly-opening valve.
2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, which in plan view is wider in one direction than its depth transverse to that direction.
3. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, having at least one generally flat upright surface.
4. A container as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the means for securing it to a fixed surface comprises a mounting bracket.
5. A container as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, having at least one hole therein to receive a screw or bolt for securing it to said fixed surface.
6. A container as claimed in Claim 5, having a matching hole in a wall of the container opposite to said at least one hole.
7. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said valve comprises a plurality of resilient flaps.
8. A container as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said resilient flaps extend towards each other from the periphery of the valve.
9. A container as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein said resilient flaps are formed integral with the container.
10. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said lid is formed integral with the container and is hinged thereto by a hinge also formed integral with the container.
11. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the valve is formed in the upper face of the container, said upper face is itself hinged to the body of the container and said lid is also hinged to the body of the container.
12. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which is formed from a synthetic polymeric material.
13. A container as claimed in Claim 12, formed from polypropylene.
14. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, being insulated on its inner surface.
15. A container as claimed in Claim 14, wherein said insulation is formed integral with the container and the lid.
16. A container for securing delivered food and like products, which container is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.