GB2376877A

GB2376877A - A collapsable food container

Info

Publication number: GB2376877A
Application number: GB0115407A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Austen Charles Miller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-06-23
Filing date: 2001-06-23
Publication date: 2002-12-31
Also published as: GB0115407D0

Abstract

Container 1 is formed from end pieces 2 and 3 rotated at 90{ relative to each other, spaced apart by six resilient rods 12 of carbon- or glass-fibre reinforced material. Textile panels 4-9 interpose the rods, and alternate panels are a gauze fabric to allow air movement. The rods locate in pockets 11 stitched on the hexagonal end pieces 2,3. Pushing the end pieces together in a twisting motion collapses the container into a planar configuration.. The textiles panels are wider at the middle than the ends, and form a skewed parallelogram. The hems between the panels are stitched with pockets 13 for the rods. A loop 15 can be provided to hang the container, and a hook 16 within can be used to hang items stored inside. A closure allows access to the interior. When extended, the container has a twisted bowed shape.

Description

FOOD CONTAINER The present invention relates to a food container.

Much food, which was traditionally kept in meat safes having perforated gauze sides to exclude flies, is now kept in domestic refrigerators. However, there remains an occasional-use requirement for some food to be kept in an un-refrigerated, fly-proof container. Particular occasional uses are the hanging of game and other fresh meat and the keeping of food on camp sites and the like.

The object of the present invention is to provide a temporary fly-proof food container.

According to the invention there is provided a food container adapted to be supported with food contained therein for keeping of the food, the container having: two opposed ends ;

* resilient rods extending from end to end of the container ; * flexible longitudinal panels between the resilient members ; and * a closure for access to the interior of the container for placing the food in the container for its keeping and for accessing the food for its removal and use, the container being collapsible by twisting the ends with respect to each other, whereby the resilient members adopt curvature substantially in a single plane.

The flexible longitudinal panels can be of conventional woven fabric.

However, to enhance air circulation to kept food, some or all of the panels can be of textile gauze.

The resilient rods can extend at or close to right angles to the ends when the container is erected. However, preferably, they are arranged to be spirally askew.

Further by the panels being wider in their mid-section, the rods are preferably curved outwards, i. e. spaced further from the central axis of the container in their mid-length.

On collapse of the container, the rods become more tightly curved.

Whilst the panels can be cut with their ends normal to their length, preferably they are cut askew to match the skew of the rods.

Whilst it is envisaged that the container may be adapted to stand on the ground, as when the container is used for containing food at a camp site; in the preferred embodiment, the top end has a support for suspension of the container from a hook or the like, as when the container is used for hanging meat. In this embodiment, a food support is provided inside the top end for hanging of the meat.

The container can include a plurality of supports at different levels, in particular shelves at differing levels below the top end.

Further, a receptacle can be provided at the bottom of the container for supporting the food and/or receiving drips from food hung within the container, Whilst its envisaged that the resilient rods could be intermittently connected to the longitudinal panels or even merely arranged to lie against the panels and urge them outwards, in the preferred embodiment, the resilient rods are provided in pockets extending along joints between adjacent panels.

The ends preferably include stiff, if not rigid, discs or plates, to which the fabric panels are connected. Pockets for the ends of the rods are provided on the inside of each end disc or plate.

The closure can be a sliding clasp fastener or a hook and loop fastener.

To keep the container closed when not in use, it is preferably provided with a closure tie.

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container of the invention when erected ;

Figure 2 is a top view of the container when collapsed; Figure 3 is a scrap plan view of the bottom end of the contain er when erected ; Figure 4 is a scrap cross-sectional view of the bottom of the container; and Figure 5 is a scrap view of a seam and enclosed rod.

Referring to the drawings, the container 1 has a bowed, hexagonal shape between a top 2 and a bottom 3, the top and bottom being relatively twisted by 900.

The top and bottom ends comprise plastics material card covered in woven fabric.

Three 4,5, 6 of the six panels extending between the ends are of the same fabric and the other three 7, 8, 9 are of gauze fabric.

The ends 2, 3 have pockets I I of stitched tape on their insides. The pockets extend towards the hexagonal corners of the ends and hold the ends of six rods 12 which extend between the ends. The six panels are all wider at their middles than at their ends, and are of generally skewed parallelogram shape, on which the wider middles are superimposed. The hems between the panels are stitched with longitudinal pockets 13 for the rods. The latter are stiff and resilient, suitably of carbon- or glass-fibre-reinforced, resin material. The panels constrain the shape of the rods, which bow out against the constraint, giving the container its twisted or spiral, bowed shape as shown in Figure 1. The degree of bowing thereshown is slight and could be greater.

If the ends are pushed together, and twisted, the container collapses into the configuration shown in Figure 2. It can be restrained in this configuration with a hook and loop fastened band 14. On release of the band, the container springs to the Figure 1 shape under the resilience of the rods.

The outside of the top has a suspension loop 15 whilst a hanging hook 16 is provided inside the top, conveniently with the same stitching holding both the loop and the hook together. A tray 17 is secured by a hook and loop fastener 18 to the inside of the bottom. Along one of the longitudinal rod pockets, a sliding clasp fastener 19 is provided for giving access to the inside of the container.

In use, the container can be suspended by the loop 15 and meat or whole game hung inside the container from the hook 16. The tray will catch any drips.

Alternatively, food can be place on the tray.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment For instance, for instance a number of trays can be suspended inside the container along its length.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A food container adapted to be supported with food contained therein for keeping of the food, the container having: two opposed ends; resilient rods extending from end to end of the container; flexible longitudinal panels between the resilient members; and a closure for access to the interior of the container for placing the food in the container for its keeping and for accessing the food for its removal and use, the container being collapsible by twisting the ends with respect to each other, whereby the resilient members adopt curvature substantially in respective planes.
2. A food container as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of the flexible longitudinal panels are of conventional woven fabric.
3. A food container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least some of the

panels are of textile gauze- : ./
4. A food container as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the resilient rods extend at or close to right angles to the ends when the container is erected.
5. A food container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the panels are cut with their ends normal to their length.
6. A food container as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the resilient rods are arranged to be spirally askew to the ends when the container is erected.
7. A food container as claimed in claim 6, wherein the panels are cut askew to match the skew of the rods.
8. A food container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the panels are wider in their mid-section, whereby the rods are curved outwards, i. e. spaced further from the central axis of the container in their mid-length, when the container is erected.
9. A food container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the resilient rods are intermittently connected to the longitudinal panels or are arranged to lie against the panels and urge them outwards.
10. A food container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the resilient rods are provided in pockets extending along joints between adjacent panels.
11. A food container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ends include stiff or rigid discs or plates, to which the fabric panels are connected.

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12. A food container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein pockets for the ends of the rods are provided on the inside of each end disc or plate.
13. A food container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is adapted to stand on the ground, as when the container is used for containing food at a camp site.
14. A food container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein its top end has a support for suspension of the container.
15. A food container as claimed in claim 14, including a food support provided inside the top end for hanging of the meat and/or a plurality of shelves at differing levels below the top end.
16. A food container as claimed in any preceding claim, including a receptacle at the bottom of the container for supporting the food and/or receiving drips from food hung within the container.
17. A food container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the closure is a sliding clasp fastener or a hook and loop fastener.
18. A food container as claimed in any preceding claim, including a hook and loop fastened band for holding the container collapsed.
19. A food container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.