GB2441825A

GB2441825A - Self-heating food container

Info

Publication number: GB2441825A
Application number: GB0618059A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Walsh
Original assignee: Wright Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: WRIGHT PLASTICS Ltd
Priority date: 2006-09-13
Filing date: 2006-09-13
Publication date: 2008-03-19
Also published as: GB0618059D0

Abstract

A self heating food container 1 comprises a hollow body 2 having top and bottom openings 3, 7. A closure cap 13, 10 is associated with each opening. A heating element 9 is removably engageable in the body through the bottom opening so as to extend into the hollow interior. It contains a heat emitting chemical such as supercooled sodium acetate which emits heat as it crystallises. In use, the process is activated by flexing a metal disk 12 which is mounted on the bottom of the heating element and is accessible through the bottom cap. The surface of the heating element is fluted to increase its surface area to volume ration. The heating element is reusable. The preferred embodiment is a feeding bottle for babies with a teat 4 included in the top closure cap.

Description

2441825

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SELF-HEATING FOOD CONTAINER

This invention relates to a self-heating food container and in the preferred embodiment provides a self-heating bottle which may be used to feed a baby.

Heating food, for example a milk product, for feeding to a baby is problematic, especially when at a location other than the baby's home. Typically under these circumstances those responsible for feeding the baby will make up a bottle of feed at home and then take the bottle either in a chilled container or at ambient temperature to the location at which it is to be used. The person about to give the feed will then immerse the bottle in a container of hot water - for example water taken for the purpose in a vacuum flask. Not only is this process cumbersome, but control of the results is difficult - the feed may be inadequately warmed or overheated.

We have now devised a container which, in its in-use configuration, incorporates a heating element which may be activated to heat feed contained in a bottle. Thus, in a typical use of an embodiment of the present invention a feed will be prepared and placed in the bottle and the bottle taken to the required use location. The heating element will then be actuated to heat the feed and when the feed has reached the required temperature it can be fed to a baby directly from the container.

Food dispensing containers for infants which incorporate heating elements have previously been proposed in GB2398478 and GB2404868. However, in the case of GB2398478 the product proposed is complex to manufacture, difficult to sterilise, and difficult to monitor for possible faults in the structure which could lead to contamination of the feed by the heating material. In the case of GB2404868 the proposed structure is disposable and cannot be sterilised and recycled for further use. It is accordingly expensive and environmentally unacceptable.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the heating element comprises a container of one or more chemicals which can be actuated to produce heat. Preferably, the heat is produced as a result of crystallisation of a super cooled liquid. The super cooled liquid may, for example, be sodium acetate. Such material

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may be activated to release heat and subsequently prepared for re-use by application of suitable heat, for example by immersing the heating element in boiling water.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the heating element is in the form of a container formed of plastics material filled with a suitable heat emitting chemical.

Preferably, the heating element has a large surface area relative to its volume in order to provide a large surface area for heat transfer contact with the feed.

Preferably, the heating element is detachable from the remainder of the container to facilitate cleaning of the components and preparation of the heating element for re-use.

Preferably, the container includes a body which is open at the top and bottoms thereof and into which the heating element can be inserted via the bottom opening. A suitable closure, for example a screw threaded closure, is provided to retain the heating element in position and to seal the bottom opening of the container.

Preferably, the closure is in the form of a screw threaded collar having an opening through which an end surface of the heating element may be contacted in order to activate the heating process. In the case of the preferred embodiment in which the heating element is a container of sodium acetate the release of heat may be activated by flexing a metal disc located at the end of the heating element for using finger pressure applied through an opening in the bottom closure.

Preferably, a top closure is provided for the container. Preferably, the top closure incorporates a feeding teet.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein the single figure illustrates, as an exploded view, a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the illustrated container is in the form of a baby feeding bottle 1. The bottle comprises a body 2 in the form of a plastics moulding, typically of a clear plastics material. The body 2 is provided with a top opening 3

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which in use will be closed by a feeding teet 4 in conventional manner. The opening 3 is defined by an upstanding threaded collar 5 onto which the feeding teet is mounted. As an alternative, a closure cap may be secured to the collar 5.

The bottom 6 of the body 2 is also open and has a bottom opening 7 defined by an externally threaded depending skirt 8.

A heating element 9 comprising a body of plastics material filled with sodium acetate is sized to be inserted into the body 2 through the bottom opening 6. The external surface of the heating element 9 is fluted to provide a large surface area for contacting feed within the container 2. In use the heating element is held in position and the bottom opening 7 is closed by a screw threaded collar 10 that includes threads 11 for mating with the threaded skirt 8. A suitable seal arrangement is provided so that when the heating element 9 is positioned within the body and the closure member 10 is screwed home onto the skirt 8, a fluid tight seal is formed at the base of the container. Thus, in the assembled condition a container is formed having a fluid tight base and having a heating element in the centre thereof.

Preferably, the collar 10 has an open central region so that the end face 12 of the heating element is accessible through the opening in the collar. By this means, a metal activating disc can be housed in the bottom of the heating element and can be manually deflected to initiate heat release by pushing the base of the heating element through the aperture provided in the centre of the collar 10.

The size of the heating element 11 is chosen in relation to the quantity and nature of the heating chemical and the volume of the container when the heating element is in position such that if the container is filled with a typical baby feed at an ambient temperature and the heating element is actuated, the temperature of the feed will be raised to a level appropriate for feeding to a baby. Typically, we envisage that a heating element filled with sodium acetate will produce sufficient heat to warm satisfactorily a volume of baby feed substantially equal to the volume of the sodium acetate is contained within the body 2 surrounding the heating element.

After use, the various components of the container may be disassembled by

unscrewing the teet collar 13 and the base collar 10. The various components can then be washed and sterilized as necessary. The heating element may be returned to its original super cooled liquid condition for subsequent re-use by immersing it in boiling water for a suitable time or by dishwashing.

Although the invention has been illustrated in the context of a baby feeding bottle it will be appreciated that other embodiments of the invention may be used for other purposes, for example for warming food for adults or warming liquids to make an adult beverage. Further, although in the preferred embodiment the heating element has a fluted exterior, other configurations which provide a large surface area for contact with the fluid to be heated are possible.

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Claims

1. A self heating food container comprising a hollow body having at least one opening formed therein for enabling access to the hollow interior of the body, a closure member for removably closing the at least one opening, a heating element composed of a container of at least one chemical which can be actuated to produce heat, the heating element being engageable in the body so as to extend into the hollow interior thereof and so that the body can be closed with the heating element inside, and actuating means for actuating the at least one chemical so as to effect heating of the food product in the container by the element.

2: A self heating food container according to claim 1, wherein the ueating element is removably engageable in the body, in particular detachable from the remainder of the container to facilitate cleaning of the components and preparation of the heating element for re-use.

3. A self heating food container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the heating element has a large surface area relative to its volume so as to provide a large surface area for heat transfer contact with the food product.

4. A self heating food container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the body has two openings in opposing ends which form the top and bottom of the container, the heating element being engageable into the hollow interior of the body through the bottom opening.

5. A self heating food container according to claim 4, wherein a closure member is associated with the bottom opening for retaining the heating element in position the body and sealing the bottom opening.

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6. A self heating food container according to claim 5, wherein closure member for the bottom opening has a through opening formed therein through which an end surface of the heating element which carries the actuating means is accessible in order to actuate the.element.

7. A self heating food container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the or each closure member is a screw threaded cap.

8. A self heating food container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one chemical in the heating element is a super cooled liquid, e.g. sodium acetate, which produces heat upon crystallisation.

9. A self heating food container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating means is a flexible metal disk which is flexed by the user in order to activate the heating element.

10. A self heating food container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the volume of the at least one chemical in the heating element is substantially equal to the volume of the hollow interior of the body which is usable for receiving food stuff.

11. A sel f heating food container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the heating element is in the form of a container formed of plastics material filled with the at least one heat emitting chemical.

12. A self heating food container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the external surface of the heating element is fluted.

13. A self heating food container substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.