GB2562728A

GB2562728A - Food bowl

Info

Publication number: GB2562728A
Application number: GB1708155.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Uddin Jamal
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-05-22
Filing date: 2017-05-22
Publication date: 2018-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2037-05-22
Also published as: GB2562728B; GB201708155D0

Abstract

A food bowl 10 comprises a bowl body having an upper portion 14 and a lower portion 16. The lower portion is releasable from the upper portion. A drainage surface 20 is provided in the bowl body 12 and extends from a side of the bowl. The drainage surface has at least one aperture 30 and at least one ridge 32 which defines at least in part the aperture. The ridge has a sloped upper surface to promote liquid runoff through the aperture 30. The upper surface of at least one ridge may be arcuate or have a polygonal cross-section. The drainage surface may comprise a plurality of ridges. The plurality of ridges may not self-intersect, may have a spiral or helical profile or may intersect to form an enmeshed grid. The bowl may further comprise a detachable lid 28 which includes a plurality of apertures 46. The lid apertures may be arranged in concentric circles and the lid may comprise a closure element that allows at least some of the lid apertures to be closed. The device aims to prevent or delay spoilage of foodstuffs, in particular salads.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Food bowl

Abstract Title: Food bowl with drainage surface (57) A food bowl 10 comprises a bowl body having an upper portion 14 and a lower portion 16. The lower portion is releasable from the upper portion. A drainage surface 20 is provided in the bowl body 12 and extends from a side of the bowl. The drainage surface has at least one aperture 30 and at least one ridge 32 which defines at least in part the aperture. The ridge has a sloped upper surface to promote liquid runoff through the aperture 30. The upper surface of at least one ridge may be arcuate or have a polygonal cross-section. The drainage surface may comprise a plurality of ridges. The plurality of ridges may not self-intersect, may have a spiral or helical profile or may intersect to form an enmeshed grid. The bowl may further comprise a detachable lid 28 which includes a plurality of apertures 46. The lid apertures may be arranged in concentric circles and the lid may comprise a closure element that allows at least some of the lid apertures to be closed. The device aims to prevent or delay spoilage of foodstuffs, in particular salads.

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Food Bowl

The present invention relates to food bowls, and more particularly, food bowls designed to prevent or delay spoilage of foodstuffs, especially salad.

There is to date no known method of keeping dressed salad fresh for a substantial time after preparation. Unprepared cut-salad leaves may last up to three days in optimal refrigerated conditions, but dressed salad leaves, especially lettuce, may become unpalatably wilted within a day of preparation, due to osmotic exchange with the high salt-content dressing.

Additionally, the dressing itself may pose microbiological contamination risks; for example, Salmonella bacteria may be found in homemade mayonnaise, made with raw eggs.

It is well known to use a salad spinner to dry washed cut-salad leaves, resulting in a prolonged shelflife. However, this is not appropriate for dressed salad, as the salad may remain in contact with the dressing, because the dressing will be retained in the base of the salad spinner.

Instead, dressed salad is commonly served without the dressing, to maximize the lifetime of the salad leaves or other foodstuffs. In this case, the consumer will dress their own salad. This is inconvenient, as the salad dressing must be stored separately to the salad. In order to keep leftover dressing, the consumer may reintroduce it to a container for long-term storage of a pre-prepared dressing, with risk of microbiological contamination of the entire contents of the dressing container from the salad. This is a significant food safety concern as pathogenic bacteria such as E. coll and Salmonella may be found in cut salad leaves.

Fruit and vegetables typically continue to respire after preparation, producing carbon dioxide. In the absence of ventilation, the salad and other foodstuffs may spoil, both due to tissue damage from carbon dioxide, and ethanol produced by anaerobic respiration under low oxygen conditions. While it is known to provide a food bowl with a removable lid, this does not allow significant user control over ventilation, especially in the case of malodourous foodstuffs.

The present invention seeks to provide solutions to all of the abovementioned problems.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a food bowl comprising a bowl body having an upper portion, a lower portion which is releasable from the upper portion; and a drainage surface in the bowl body which extends from a bowl side thereof; the drainage surface having at least one aperture and at least one ridge which defines at least in part the said aperture; the said ridge having a sloped upper surface to promote liquid run-off through the aperture.

Preferably there may be a support element on an inner surface of the bowl body to support the drainage surface. This may help a user to correctly orientate the drainage surface in the bowl body, and retain the drainage surface in such a correct orientation.

The support element may be integrally formed with the bowl body as a lip. Beneficially, this is an economical method of forming the support element, which does not limit the usability of the bowl if the drainage surface is removed.

The support element may preferably be on the upper portion of the bowl body, so that the lower portion of the bowl body may be released from the upper portion of the bowl body without disturbing food stored on the drainage surface.

Alternatively, the support element may be on the lower portion of the bowl body. This may allow the lower portion of the bowl body to function as a serving dish.

In any case, the support element may be located at or adjacent to a juncture of the upper and lower portions of the bowl body.

Optionally, the curvature of an inner surface of the upper portion of the bowl body may be continuous, and the drainage surface may sit at least in part flush with an inner circumference of the bowl body. This may obviate the requirement to provide a support element for the bowl body, and thus simplify the manufacture of the bowl.

The drainage surface may preferably be removable from the bowl body, so that the bowl can be used for other purposes, such as the storage of fresh uncut fruit, if desired.

Alternatively, the drainage surface may be integral to the bowl body, to prevent accidental dislocation of the drainage surface in use.

The or each aperture may advantageously have a maximum extent in at least one dimension of no more than 5mm. This allows small food items such as grains of maize to be stored on the drainage surface, without falling through the apertures.

The drainage surface may comprise a plurality of ridges.

Preferably, the or each ridge does not self-intersect at any point on the drainage surface, as liquid may otherwise sit on the points of intersection of the ridges. This feature may be achieved by the or each ridge having or defining a spiral or helical profile.

Alternatively, each ridge may intersect a plurality of ridges to form an enmeshed grid.

The intersections between the said each ridge and the plurality of ridges may preferably be perpendicular or substantially perpendicular, to improve the rigidity of the grid.

Beneficially, the upper surface of at least one ridge of the drainage surface may be arcuate, to promote liquid run-off. Additionally, or alternatively, at least one ridge of the drainage surface may have a polygonal cross-section.

The lower surface of at least one ridge of the drainage surface may beneficially be arcuate, so that water which settles on the lower surface of said ridge may more readily coalesce into droplets.

The drainage surface may preferably be reversibly deformable in a plane parallel to a central axis of the bowl body, as this increases the food storage space available above the drainage surface of the food bowl.

The bowl body may be curvate, to simplify cleaning of the exterior of the bowl. Optionally, the curvature of an outer surface of the bowl body may be continuous at a juncture of the upper and lower portions, so that the subdivision of the bowl is not visible.

The food bowl may further comprise a hinge for pivotable engagement of the upper and lower portions of the bowl body, so that the upper and lower portions of the food bowl can be partially separated while remaining attached at one point at least.

Alternatively, the lower portion of the bowl body may be removable from the upper portion, to allow separate usage of the lower portion of the bowl body and/or the upper portion of the bowl body.

In this case, the upper and lower portions of the bowl body may be provided as snap-fit components, for ease of opening. Beneficially, the food bowl may further comprise a catch mechanism for positively retaining the lower portion of the bowl body to the upper portion of the bowl body.

The volume of the lower portion of the bowl body may preferably be between 10% and 20% of a total of a volume of the upper portion and a volume of the lower portion, to prevent the atmosphere of the food bowl becoming excessively moist or dry.

The food bowl may comprise a tap located on the lower portion of the bowl body, to allow removal of liquid stored in the lower portion of the bowl body without releasing said lower portion from the upper portion of the bowl body.

In any case, the food bowl may further comprise a detachable lid, to close the food bowl. The lid may include a plurality of apertures therethrough, for ventilation; most preferably the lid apertures may cover at least 1/30 of an upper surface area of the lid.

The lid apertures may be disposed in concentric circles or ellipses, such that the said concentric circles or ellipses are equidistantly spaced on the lid, so that stored food may be substantially uniformly ventilated.

The lid may comprise a lid body and a closure element mounted above or beneath the lid body, so that at least some of the lid apertures can be closed by the movement of the closure element with respect to the lid body.

Preferably, the closure element may be mounted on a pivot. In this case, the closure element may be mounted on a pivot which passes through the centre of the lid, so that it may be rotated relative to the lid body and/or one or more further closure elements.

Optionally, the pivot may be biased to allow the closure element to be returned to a predetermined position or positions after rotational displacement. This allows easy user control of the position of the closure element.

In this case, the closure element may be devoid of apertures. Alternatively, the closure element may have a plurality of apertures which may be aligned with at least some of the lid apertures by rotation of the closure element with respect to the lid body.

The closure element may be mounted above the lid body, and have an arcuate upper surface; or the closure element may be mounted below the lid body and have an arcuate lower surface; in either case the movement of the closure element with respect to the lid body may be restricted by friction between the closure element and the lid body.

The closure element may be provided as a substantially flat cylindrical disc, so that it might sit flush with the lid body, for a compact embodiment of the food bowl.

The closure element may be mounted below the lid body, and have one or more protrusions on its upper surface, engageable with one or more lid apertures; or the closure element may be mounted above the lid, and have one or more protrusions on its lower surface, engageable with one or more of the lid apertures.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure la shows a side view of an embodiment of a food bowl in accordance with the invention, with a lower portion of a bowl body in a closed position;

Figure lb is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line A-A in Figure la, and shows a drainage surface of the food bowl;

Figure lc is another cross-sectional plan view through the food bowl taken along line B-B in Figure la;

Figure 2 shows a top-to-bottom cross-section through the food bowl shown in Figure la, with the lower portion of the bowl body in an open position, and the closure element and pivot omitted for clarity;

Figure 3a shows a top plan view of a lid for the food bowl shown in Figure la;

Figure 3b shows a cross-section of the lid along line C-C;

Figure 3c shows a side view of the lid shown in Figures 3a and 3b;

Figure 3d is a plan view of the closure element of the lid shown in Figure 3b;

Figure 4a shows a top-to-bottom cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the food bowl shown in Figure la, with hinge and catch mechanism omitted for clarity;

Figure 4b is a top plan view of the upper portion shown in Figure la, with the hinge and catch mechanism omitted for clarity;

Figure 5a shows a top-to-bottom cross-sectional view of the lower portion shown in Figure la, with the hinge and catch mechanism omitted for clarity;

Figure 5b shows a top plan view of the lower portion shown in Figure 5a;

Figure 6a is a top plan view of a drainage surface of the food bowl shown in Figure lb; and

Figure 6b is a cross-sectional view through the drainage surface shown in Figure 6a and taken along line D-D.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a food bowl 10 having a bowl body 12 with an upper portion 14, and a lower portion 16 releasable from said upper portion 14. The upper and lower portions 14 and 16 may define a juncture 18 therebetween. The food bowl 10 has a drainage surface 20 in the bowl body 12, and a bowl side 22. The food bowl 10 may also preferably have a bowl base 24 in the lower portion 16 and a top rim 26 on the upper portion 14. A lid 28 is preferably engageable with the top rim 26 to close the upper portion 14.

The food bowl 10, in this embodiment, is preferably at least in part curvate, and most preferably the bowl side 22 may have a continuous curvature from the base 24 to the top rim 26, across the upper and lower portions 14, 16, especially on an exterior surface thereof, as shown in Figure la. The base 24 may form an integral part of the lower portion 16 of the bowl body 12, whereas the top rim 26 may form an integral part of the upper portion 14 of the bowl body 12. The base 24 may advantageously be flat or substantially flat, to allow the bowl 10 to rest on a support surface, such as a top of a kitchen counter or a table. Due to the curvature of the bowl side 22, the base 24 may have a circular or elliptical shape, as may any cross-section of the bowl body 12 parallel to the plane of the base 24.

Various other possibilities, however, may be considered by the person skilled in the art. For instance, the base could have any regular or even irregular polygonal shape; in particular, substantially square, hexagonal or dodecagonal bases may be beneficially considered. In this case, the bowl sides may be non-curvate, or have lateral discontinuities in curvature across the vertices of the polygons defined by the crosssections of the bowl parallel to the plane of the base. It may also be advantageous to provide a non-flat base. For instance, a citrus reamer could be unitarily or otherwise formed with the base, so that the lower portion of the bowl body could be used independently as a citrus reamer and citrus juice storage container.

The curvature of the bowl side could also be interrupted by a spout on the juncture of the upper and lower portions of the bowl body, to allow easy pouring of liquid contents of the lower portion of the bowl body. Alternatively, a tap may be provided on the lower portion of the bowl body, so that it can be emptied without opening the bowl at the juncture of the upper and lower portions.

The bowl body 12 of the food bowl 10 may preferably be manufactured from any suitable food-safe plastic, but polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or high density polyethylene (HDPE) may be preferred due to recyclability. Alternatively, the bowl body may be produced from silica or borosilicate glass. The drainage surface 20 and lid 28 may most preferably be provided from the same food-safe plastic as the bowl body 12, although a wire drainage surface and/or glass lid may also be appropriate. The bowl body 12 is preferably solid, but it could also be hollow, to allow lightweight construction for certain designs. The food bowl 10 itself, or parts thereof, may advantageously be compressible to reduce a storage footprint.

A volume of the lower portion 16 of the bowl body 12 may optimally be between 10 and 20 percent of a total of a volume of the lower portion 16 and a volume of the upper portion 14. The ideal volume of the lower portion 16 may be a compromise between maximizing available storage space for liquids, and reducing the risk of premature spoilage of foodstuffs due to an overly moist atmosphere, which may encourage fungal or bacterial growth on fruit, vegetables and soft cheeses, among other common foodstuffs.

The drainage surface 20, best illustrated in Figures 6a and 6b, extends from the bowl side 22, and has at least one aperture 30, and at least one ridge 32 which defines, at least in part, the aperture 30. The drainage surface 20 may sit on a support element 34 on an inner surface of the bowl body 12. Alternatively, the drainage surface may sit at least in part flush with an inner circumference of the bowl body, either in the lower or upper portions, but most preferably may sit in the upper portion, so that salad or other stored foodstuffs may be undisturbed by the opening of the lower portion to gain access to liquid stored therein. In either case, the drainage surface 20 may beneficially be removable from the food bowl 10, for ease of cleaning.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the drainage surface 20 may have a plurality of ridges 32, arranged into two series 32a and 32b which span the drainage surface, such that every ridge 32’ in a given series 32a is parallel or substantially parallel to every other ridge 32’ in the same series 32a, and perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to every ridge 32” in the other series 32b. The intersections between each ridge 32’ of the series 32a and the ridges 32” of the respective other series 32b are most preferably defined by 90 degree angles. In this way, each ridge 32’ of a series 32a may intersect with at least one ridge 32” of the other series 32b, and no other ridge 32’ of its own series 32a. The ridges 32 thus may form an enmeshed grid, which most preferably may define the plane of the drainage surface 20, such that it is parallel or substantially parallel to the plane of the base 24 of the bowl 10.

Alternatively, the drainage surface may preferably have one or more ridges with a spiral or helical profile, although other shapes may also be appropriate. For these designs, the ridge may not self-intersect on any point of the drainage surface; in this way, the apertures are defined by the spacing between different parts of the same ridge, or the spacing between a plurality of nested or otherwise arrayed ridges. A single spiral ridge may terminate in a tongue in the centre of the drainage surface, and may be reversibly deformable, so that the tongue is depressed by the weight of the salad or other foodstuff in use, with the depression of the arm of the spiral decreasing as the radial distance from the tongue increases. Advantageously, this design may increase the storage capacity of the upper portion of the bowl body. A labyrinthine design with a plurality of ridges selfintersecting could also be considered, to give a desired pattern while retaining an appropriate rigidity and spacing of ridges.

The ridge or ridges 32 have, in any case, a sloped upper surface to promote liquid runoff, as shown in Figure 6a. Therefore, when dressed salad or other wet food is placed on the drainage surface, the dressing or other cooking liquid will flow off the surface of the ridges 32, and into the lower portion 16 of the food bowl 10. The upper surface of each ridge 32 may be smooth, or alternatively it may have one or more channels to improve fluid flow off the ridges. Each ridge could also conceivably have a plurality of further apertures therethrough, to prevent liquid from settling on the top of the ridges. Optionally, the lower surfaces of the or each ridge may also be sloped or convex, to prevent small drops of liquid settling on the bottom of the ridges. The ridges 32 may therefore advantageously have any one of a circular, elliptical, semi-circular or semielliptical cross-section.

The sloped upper surface of the ridge or ridges 32 may most preferably be provided as an arcuate upper surface, such that the upper surface of each ridge has a curvate profile. However, other embodiments of the sloped upper surface may be similarly advantageous. For example, each ridge may have a substantially flat profile, and be orientated obliquely with respect to a plane defined by the base of the bowl, and/or a plane defined by the top rim of the bowl. In this alternative embodiment, each ridge may most preferably be provided as an elongate element, with the plane of the upper surface at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees to a plane defined by the base of the bowl, and/or a plane defined by the top rim of the bowl. Alternatively, each ridge could conceivably have a polygonal cross-section, with the plane of each prismatic face of each ridge being orientated obliquely with respect to a plane defined by the base of the bowl, and/or a plane defined by the top rim of the bowl. In any case, a non-arcuate sloped upper surface, for each ridge, may be advantageous, as the resulting sharp edges may provide nucleation points for water droplets, improving drainage.

The or each aperture 30 of the drainage surface 20 may beneficially have a maximum extent in at least one dimension of 5mm, to prevent grains of maize and other similarly sized foodstuffs from falling through the apertures. It may also be advantageous to provide a drainage surface 20 such that the apertures 30 have a maximum extent in at least one dimension of between 0.5 mm and 3mm, to allow the storage of various other salad foods, such as rice, oats, quinoa, granola, chia, couscous, pomegranate seeds and pastina.

The support element 34 for the drainage surface may preferably be located in the upper portion 14 of the bowl body 12, so that the drainage surface 20 sits therein, which is advantageous for reasons hereinbefore described. Most preferably, the support element 34 is a shoulder located in the interior of the upper portion 14 of the bowl body 12, as shown in Figure 4a. Alternatively, the support element may be located in the lower portion of the bowl body, so that when the upper portion of the bowl body is removed, the lower bowl body can function independently as a food serving dish, with the food and the liquid separated by the drainage surface. The support element may in any case be formed integrally with the bowl body, as an internal lip or shoulder, or alternatively as a slot.

The upper and lower portions 14, 16 of the bowl body 12 may be joined by a hinge 36 located at their juncture 18. The hinge 36 may be a live hinge so that the two portions 14, 16 are pivotably engaged, or may be removable to allow complete detachment of the two portions. In either case, the upper and lower portions 14, 16 of the bowl body 12 may be fastened in place via a catch mechanism 38, which most preferably may be located antipodally from the hinge 36. The catch mechanism 38 may comprise a catch 40, and a catch-receiver 42. The catch 40 may be provided as a protrusion located on the exterior of the upper portion 14, receivable into a catch-receiver 42 located on the exterior of the lower portion 16. Other options may also be contemplated; for instance, a slot could be disposed on the upper portion of the bowl body, at or adjacent to the juncture, such that a catch located on the lower portion of the bowl body was receivable therein. Alternatively, the catch-receiver or slot may be provided on the lower portion, and the catch or other engagement element on the upper portion.

This aspect of the food bowl design is advantageous as it allows liquid drained from salad or other foodstuffs on the drainage surface 20 to be accessed without disturbing said salad or foodstuffs. However, the skilled person will appreciate that other designs may be similarly advantageous. For instance, there may be a snap-fit connection between the upper and lower portions of the bowl body, in addition to the catch mechanism. Alternatively, the snap-fit connection may replace the catch mechanism to reduce the number of components required, and thus the unit cost of the food bowl.

In one conceivable embodiment, the catch mechanism may be provided internally, such that the catch may be disengaged by the operation of a suitably placed button or other user-engagement element on the upper or lower portion of the bowl body. An internal catch mechanism may be beneficial, as an external catch mechanism may be dirtied by contact with drained liquid, as the drained liquid is poured from the lower portion of the food bowl. A screw-threaded connection between the two elements could also be considered; in this case, broad threads for easy opening may be preferred. In any case, preferably the upper and lower portions are not fixed airtightly, to allow better ventilation of food stored in the bowl.

Preferably, the lid 28 of the food bowl is removable, to allow access to the stored food, and has a lid body 28a. The lid 28 may be adapted to engage with the top rim 26 of the food bowl 10 by means of a channel 44 on the lower surface of the lid body 28a, around and/or adjacent to its outer circumferential limit, in which the top rim 26 is press-fit receivable; the channel 44 may also include a food-safe synthetic rubber insert to improve the quality of the press-fit. Alternatively, the lid may be fixed to the upper portion of the food bowl by a lid hinge, to prevent accidental displacement of the lid. The lid hinge may be a live hinge, or an independent component, to allow detachment of the lid. The lid body 28a may be substantially flat, so that cooking implements or food may be rested on the top of the lid body 28a, or the lid body may be arcuate, to increase the storage space available in the bowl.

The lid 28 may include a plurality of lid apertures 46 through the lid body 28a, and thereby through the lid 28, which beneficially provide ventilation to food stored in the bowl. It has been determined by testing that apertures 46 covering at least 1/30 of the surface area of the lid 28 may be necessary for adequate ventilation of typical salads, although a lower or higher proportion may be appropriate for other foodstuffs, such as between 1/10 and 1/50 of the surface area of the lid, and more preferably between 1/20 and 1/40. Preferably, the apertures 46 are distributed approximately uniformly across the surface of the lid 28, for instance in equidistantly spaced concentric circles or ellipses, as shown in Figure 3a. The apertures 46 preferably may be circular, although elliptical apertures may be considered. Other shapes may also be appropriate; for instance, the lid apertures could be irregularly or regularly polygonal. Optionally there may be one or more slots on the lid to allow housing of salad utensils in the bowl, so that the consumer can refrigerate said salad utensils after use with the bowl, avoiding unnecessary cleaning.

The lid 28 may comprise a closure element 48 movably connected to the lid body 28a. In this embodiment, the closure element 48 may preferably be a disc, or disc-shape. As illustrated in Figures 3b and 3d, the closure element 48 may be provided on or adjacent to an under surface of the lid body 28a, but it could also overlie or substantially overlie an upper surface of the lid body. In either case, the closure element 48 may most preferably be at least in part contained by the lid body 28a, but the closure element could alternatively be located directly above or below it.

The closure element 48 may be mounted on a pivot 50, and the closure element 48 may therefore have a central aperture 52, whereby the pivot passes therethrough. The closure element 48 may preferably thus be rotatable, with respect to the lid body 28a, so that at least some of the lid apertures 46 can be closed by rotation of the closure element 48.

This may be achieved simply by providing a closure element with non-uniform profile, and devoid of apertures, such that the lid apertures are only obstructed in some positions of the closure element. However, more preferably, the closure element 48 may have similar profile to the lid body 28a, and one or more apertures 54, matching at least one corresponding aperture 46 on the lid body 28a. On rotation of the closure element 48 relative to the lid body 28a, the apertures 54 therethrough can be aligned with the lid apertures 46 to enable ventilation. Alternatively, the said apertures may be angularly displaced away from the lid apertures to seal or substantially seal the in-use food bowl.

Although it is suggested that the closure element 48 may be rotatably mounted to the lid body 28a, it could alternatively be slidably mounted, for example, to allow linear displacement relative thereto, especially if the lid apertures were formed by slats spaced apart.

Advantageously, the alignment of the apertures 46, 52 of the lid body 28a and the closure element may allow control over the ventilation of the food bowl 10, so that the food bowl 10 can be sealed completely for storage of particularly malodourous foodstuffs, such as untreated raw meat or cut durian. The closure element 48 may also prevent insects or other vermin accessing food stored in the bowl, by preventing access to the lid apertures 46 when in the closed position.

The closure element 48 may advantageously be provided as one or more substantially flat cylindrical discs, which may sit flush with the lid body 28a when mounted. Alternatively, to allow easy control over the position of the closure element, the closure element may have an arcuate and/or convex upper surface if mounted below the lid body, or an arcuate and/or concave lower surface if mounted above the lid body, such that there is friction between the closure element with the lid body on rotational displacement of the closure element relative to the lid body. Beneficially, this may result in slower rotation of the closure element relative to the lid body. The closure element may optionally also have lid-engagement ridges or other surface features on its upper or lower surfaces, spaced so that there is no friction between the closure element and the lid body when the lid apertures are aligned with the apertures of the closure element, and friction therebetween otherwise. This may advantageously facilitate usage of the food bowl by a blind or partially sighted user.

Control of the position of the closure element could also be achieved by fixing the closure element on a biased pivot, and most preferably on a spring biased pivot, so that the closure element may be retained by the pivot in a restricted range of rotational states, corresponding to closed and open states of the lid apertures. The closure element could also lock to the lid by means of an engagement mechanism between the closure element and the lid, such that a retainer on the closure element is receivable by a retainer-receiver on the lid, or vice versa. In this case a biased pivot might separate the closure element from the lid body when the closure element is not locked to the lid, to allow easy rotation of the closure element.

If two closure elements are provided, such that one is disposed above the lid body, and another is disposed below the lid body, it is preferable that they are both mounted on the same pivot in such a way that they can be rotated simultaneously. Alternatively, such closure elements may be independently rotatable with respect to each other. A plurality of closure elements above or below the lid body, respectively, could also be considered.

Optionally, to fix the closure element in place in a desired rotational position, the closure element, if mounted below the lid body, may have one or more protrusions on its upper surface engageable with one or more of the lid apertures, or if mounted above the lid body, the closure element may have one or more protrusions on its lower surface, engageable with one or more of the lid apertures. The protrusions may be provided integrally with the closure element. In one possible embodiment of the invention, the protrusions are curvate, with a similar diameter to the corresponding lid aperture, so that they tightly fit into the lid apertures, forming a water-tight seal between the lid and closure element. Preferably, however, the protrusions may each have a diameter less than that of their respective corresponding apertures, so that air passage through the apertures is still possible when the lid apertures are closed by the closure element, improving ventilation.

The protrusions may pass through the full extent of, or only a partial extent of, at least some of the apertures. If closure elements are provided both above and below the lid body, the protrusions of each closure element may correspond to the same lid aperture, so that engaging the protrusions of one of the two closure elements with the lid apertures corresponds to a partial closure of the lid apertures, while engaging the protrusions of two closure elements simultaneously with the lid apertures results in a water-tight and/or airtight seal of the lid apertures. In this case, the protrusions of the two closure elements corresponding to any one lid aperture most preferably extend cumulatively through the full extent of said aperture.

Several distinct uses of the food bowl may be contemplated. The food bowl is suitable for the storage of dressed salad, such that the salad dressing is drained into the lower portion of the food bowl, to be stored for future use. The food bowl could also be used to store a meat stew, or other similar dish with a fatty sauce, to allow the conservation of the meat or other foodstuff without the congelation of the sauce around it. The food bowl may also be an appropriate container for the storage of raw meat, for instance when bringing a steak to room temperature before cooking, as the apertures on the lid may preferably be small enough to prevent the ingress of insects or other vermin, while providing suitable ventilation. The food bowl could be used as a colander, to drain boiled vegetables while retaining the liquid used to cook them for further culinary use; for instance, aquafaba retained from cooking chickpeas can be used as a vegan egg substitute. The food bowl may also be used to remove small fragments and dust of lentils, rice, rolled oats or breakfast cereal from the bulk foodstuff, while retaining said fragments for culinary or other uses.

It is therefore possible to provide a food bowl which, by virtue of the arcuate-topped ridge or ridges defining the or each aperture enables far more efficient liquid run-off through the or each aperture. By significantly reducing or eliminating standing liquid or pooling on the foodstuff supporting surface, osmotic deterioration of salad leaves, cooked vegetables and the like is prevented or reduced, and thus the storage life of the prepared food is substantially increased. The drained liquid is also conveniently not disposed, but stored for later use, if required.

The words ‘comprises/comprising’ and the words ‘having/including’ when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the field without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.

Claims

1. A food bowl comprising:

a bowl body having an upper portion, and a lower portion which is releasable from the upper portion; and a drainage surface in the bowl body which extends from a bowl side thereof;

the drainage surface having at least one aperture and at least one ridge which defines at least in part the said aperture;

the said ridge having a sloped upper surface to promote liquid run-off through the aperture.

2. A food bowl as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a support element on an inner surface of the bowl body to support the drainage surface.

3. A food bowl as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support element is integrally formed with the bowl body as a lip.

4. A food bowl as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the support element is on the upper portion of the bowl body.

5. A food bowl as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the support element is on the lower portion of the bowl body.

6. A food bowl as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the support element is located at or adjacent to a juncture of the upper and lower portions of the bowl body.

7. A food bowl as claimed in claim 1, wherein a curvature of an inner surface of the upper portion of the bowl body is continuous, and the drainage surface sits at least in part flush with an inner circumference of the bowl body.

8. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drainage surface is removable from the bowl body.

9. A food bowl as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the drainage surface is integral to the bowl body.

10. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each aperture has a maximum extent in at least one dimension of no more than 5mm.

11. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drainage surface comprises a plurality of ridges.

12. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each ridge does not self-intersect at any point on the drainage surface.

13. A food bowl as claimed in claim 12, wherein the or each ridge has a spiral or helical profile.

14. A food bowl as claimed in claim 11, wherein each ridge intersects a plurality of ridges to form an enmeshed grid.

15. A food bowl as claimed in claim 14, wherein the intersections between the said each ridge and the plurality of ridges are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular.

16. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper surface of at least one ridge of the drainage surface is arcuate.

17. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one ridge of the drainage surface has a polygonal cross-section.

18. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a lower surface of at least one ridge of the drainage surface is arcuate.

19. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drainage surface is reversibly deformable in a plane parallel to a central axis of the bowl body.

20. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bowl body is curvate.

21. A food bowl as claimed in claim 20 wherein the curvature of an outer surface of the bowl body is continuous at a juncture of the upper and lower portions.

22. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein there is a hinge for pivotable engagement of the upper and lower portions of the bowl body.

23. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lower portion of the bowl body is removable from the upper portion.

24. A food bowl as claimed in claim 23, wherein the upper and lower portions of the bowl body are provided as snap-fit components.

25. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a catch mechanism for positively retaining the lower portion of the bowl body to the upper portion of the bowl body.

26. A food bowl as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein a volume of the lower portion of the bowl body is between 10% and 20% of a total of a volume of the lower portion and a volume of the upper portion.

27. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a tap located on the lower portion of the bowl body.

28. A food bowl as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a detachable lid.

29. A food bowl as claimed in claim 28, wherein the lid includes a plurality of apertures therethrough.

30. A food bowl as claimed in claim 29, wherein the lid apertures cover at least 1/30 of an upper surface area of the lid.

31. A food bowl as claimed in claim 29 or claim 30, wherein the lid apertures are disposed in concentric circles or ellipses, whereby the said concentric circles or ellipses are equidistantly spaced on the lid.

32. A food bowl as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 31, wherein the lid comprises a lid body, and a closure element above or beneath the lid body, so that at least some of the lid apertures can be closed by the movement of the closure element with respect to the lid body.

33. A food bowl as claimed in claim 32, wherein the closure element is mounted on a pivot.

34. A food bowl as claimed in claim 33, wherein the pivot passes through the centre of the lid.

35. A food bowl as claimed in claim 33 or 34, whereby the pivot is biased to allow the closure element to be returned to a predetermined position or positions after displacement.

36. A food bowl as claimed in any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein the closure element is devoid of apertures.

37. A food bowl as claimed in any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein the closure element has a plurality of apertures which may be aligned with at least some of the lid apertures by movement of the closure element with respect to the lid body.

38. A food bowl as claimed in any one of claims 32 to 37, wherein the closure element is mounted above the lid body and has an arcuate upper surface; or the closure element is mounted below the lid body and has an arcuate lower surface; and (in either case) the movement of the closure element with respect to the lid body is restricted by friction between the closure element and the lid body.

39. A food bowl as claimed in any one of claims 32 to 37, wherein the closure element is a substantially flat cylindrical disc.

40. A food bowl as claimed in any one of claims 32 to 39, wherein the closure element is mounted below the lid body, and has one or more protrusions on its upper surface, engageable with one or more of the lid apertures; or the closure element is mounted above the lid body, and has one or more protrusions on its lower surface, engageable with one or more of the lid apertures.

Intellectual

Property Office

Application No: GB1708155.5