GB2391851A

GB2391851A - Self-heating meal container

Info

Publication number: GB2391851A
Application number: GB0220152A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Julien Philip Goding
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-06
Filing date: 2002-08-30
Publication date: 2004-02-18
Also published as: GB0220152D0; GB0205189D0

Abstract

A carton container which can safely hold a pre-cooked meal in a dish, during heating by a flame-less heater. Due to a re-inforced base, the majority of the heat generated after activating the flame-less heater, is absorbed inside the container and the fluted cardboard. The container can be variable in dimensions to suit the size of meal dish, which will be required to be heated. Inside the carton there will be an optional compartment to hold cutlery and a container of water for activating the flame-less heater. The base may be reinforced by comprising a double thickness of fluted cardboard. The outside of the carton may include thermo-chromic ink to show when the meal has reached a certain temperature.

Description

1. APPLICATION FOR A PATENT

Title of invention: A Self-Heating Meal Contairr ('Thermo Pack').

Proposed name of The product:- Self-Heating Thermo Pack Introduction

The designer currently produces and markets Hot Pack SeK Heating Meals. This product as it stands, needs improvements to meet wider consumer demands and make it simpler to use.

This idea is a unique pack design for a sea heating meal product which is compact, easy to use, efficient in producing, conducting and retaining heat into a sealed, ready cooked meal, soup or dessert dish or pouch.

Thermo Pack Description (See sketch design)

The outer carton is made from fluted cardboard and is re-inforced at the base with a double thickness to absorb the heat generated after activation of the flame-less heater. The rear of the base is designed to hold the cutlery pack and 50ml water container. Should any leakage occur from the water container, this compartment will prevent the water getting to and activating the flame-less heater.

The lid of the carton is designed to cover the base completely and sit tight on top of the food dish and rear compartment before and after activating the heater.

Inside the carton, there will sit an outer holding dish which will contain the flame-less heater.

The sealed food dish will sit on top of the flame-less heater. A spacer may be placed between the food dish and holding dish to allow the water, for activating the heater, to be poured easily between the two items. Alternatively, the dish can be lifted, then the water poured onto the flame-less heater, then replace the food dish on top of the activated heater.

The outside of the carton may include a thermo-chromic ink facility to show when the meal has reached a certain temperature.

2. Introduction to Drawings

The attached sketch shows the Self-Heahng Thermo Pack carton with the food dish over the container dish which will hold the flame-less heater and food dish during heating. The sketch designs are not to scale but they do show the components and the design of the SeH- Heating Thermo Pack. This design shows an optional compartment at the back of the carton, which will hold the cutlery and water container. Should there be any leakage from the water container this will not be absorbed into the lower dish, which contains the flame-less heater. For extra security from accidental activation of the flame-less heater during transit, the food dish and lower dish will be shrink wrapped, when packed.

Flame less Heater The heating source will be from a fiame-less ration heater or FRH. The heater pad will contain a magnesium iron alloy mixture or other such mixture to allow an exothermic reaction to take place. The heat generated from this reaction will be sufficient to heat the ready cooked, sealed meal up to approximately 80 degrees centigrade within 1015 minutes.

Ready Cooked Meal The meals used in this pack will be in a sealed metal or plastic dish. Other heat conductible materials may also be used to contain the meal. The varieties of meals to be used will be extremely wide, from standard casserole type meals to oriental, Italian, asian and other meals, suitable for sealing in a dish container.

The Product The Sea Heating Thermo Pack is designed to offer a new vehicle for self heating convenience food, aimed at lunchtime eating and suitable to anybody who wants an alternative to sandwiches, baguettes, pies or any other cold, take-away meal. Naturally there will be uses outside lunchtime sating, but its positioning is such that this product will be an innovative and unique self-heating type of hot, snack meal, which can be used virtually anywhere and at anytime. The design of this pack will make it appealing to supermarket retailers, grocery stores, convenience stores, sandwich shops, petrol service stations, railway or bus stations, etc.

Claims

CLAIMS SELF HEATING CONTAINER

1. A carton container of variable size, made from fluted cardboard, or other suitable material, comprising a lid and re-inforced base, with a separate compartment to hold cutlery and 40/50ml water container.

2. A carton container made from cardboard or any other suitable material without a separate compartment as claimed in Claim 1 to make a smaller container area.

3. A carton container which can hold a sealed, pre-cooked meal in a dish and another dish or tray to hold a flame-less heater, activated by 40 or 50 mis of water.

4. A carton container, which is re-inforced at its base to absorb the majority of the heat generated when the flame-less heater is activated to heat the sealed meal in a dish which will lie inside the heater container.

5. A carton container in fluted cardboard or other suitable material, which can safely contain a pre-cooked meal in a dish, during the activation of a blameless heater by 40 or 50 mis of water.

6. A carton container as claimed in the above claims with a lid, opened from the top for access to the meal in a dish and other components.

7. A carton substantially as described herein and with reference to the figures A to E in the accompanying drawing.