US2709534A

US2709534A - Sealed food container

Info

Publication number: US2709534A
Authority: US
Inventors: Axel E F Johnson; Clarence W Ensminger; Houghton W Clarke
Original assignee: Mealpack Corp
Current assignee: Mealpack Corp
Priority date: 1952-09-30
Filing date: 1952-09-30
Publication date: 1955-05-31
Anticipated expiration: 1972-05-31

Description

ay BL 1955 Filed Sept. 50. 1952 ATTUR/VEVS SEALED FOQD CONTAINER Axel E. F. Johnson and Clarence W. Ensminger, Cincinnati, tibia, and Houghton W. Clarke, Evanston, Ill., assignors to Mealpack Corporation, Evanston, llL, a corporation of llllinois Application beptember 3t}, 1952, Serial No. 312,314

6 Claims. (Cl. 2204) This invention relates to a sealed food container, and more particularly to a device for packing, storing or transporting, and serving, hot meals.

in the serving of prepared hot meals in hospitals, plants, factories, on trains, and in a large number of other establishments, it is found to be of the utmost importance that the insulating container sections in which the hot meal is stored be readily sealable after the packing operation and readily separable when the meal is to be eaten, the closure mechanism occupying a minimum of space and obstruction. While it is essential that the closure means be quickly rendered airtight in a minimum of operations, it is also important that the closure means he moved readily and with slight eiiort to an unobstructing position in which it is held by one portion of the container.

An object of the present invention is to provide a structure accomplishing the above desired results. A further object is to provide a structure in which hollow sections of the container are locked securely in airtight relation by resilient sealing means which permits quick engagement of. the sealing means with the container and quick disengagement enabling one of the container portions to be free of the sealing means. A further object is to provide unique sealing means for securing together sectional portions of an insulated container while requiring minimum of effort on the part of the user. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

T he invention is shown in an illustrative embodiment by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a container structure embodying our invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged, sectional and broken detail view; Fig. 3, a sectional View of the resilient band or sealing member which may be employed; Fig. 4, a broken, detail view of a modified form of the invention showing a resilient sealing band applied to container sections in spaced-apart relation, the sealing band being shown in section; and Fig. 5, a View similar to Fig. 4 but showing the sealing band in position for uniting the container sections.

in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, 1i) designates a lower hollow body section and 11 designates an upper hollow body section, the two sections, when placed together as indicated in Fig. 1, providing an inner foodreceiving chamber 12. in the chamber 12 may be placed a dish ll? or any other desired receptacle for hot or cold foods, etc. 7

Each of the sections is provided with an annular rib ltd which preferably has an outer, substantially vertical, face or ledge 15. We prefer to use annular beads 16 spaced outwardly from the shoulders 15, as illustrated in detail in Fig. 2.

The rib i6 is preferably provided on the side opposite shoulder with an inwardly-inclined wall l7, and when the two sections are placed together, as shown best in Fig. 2, a substantially l -shaped annular recess or valley is formed between the ribs 14.

rates Patent The resilient elastic gasket band 18 may be formed of which will be described. The band is provided at its upper side with a heavy bead 19, on the outer side of which is a rounded shoulder 2b adapting the band for' rolling upon the outer surface of the body section 11. At the lower side of the band 20 is an elongated bead21 adapted to be received within the area between the lower shoulder 15 and bead it? of section it). Between

beads

19 and 21 is an intermediate pointed bead 22 adapted to engage the l-shaped annular recess between shoulder 17 of the adjacent body sections. A groove or recess 23 is provided between each of the

outer beads

19 and 21 and the inner head 22, as illustrated best in Fig. 3.

it will be understood that the sections it) and 11 may be identical in construction and thus may be used interchangeably in different sets or, if desired, the body sections may be formed with different contours.

in the operation of the device, the upper section ll is ordinarily removed and the dish 13 is filled with hot foods, etc. The top section 11 may then be placed in position, as illustrated in Fig. l, and the elastic gasket band 19 moved into the interlocking or sealing position illustrated in Pig. 2. In this position, the upper head 19 substantially fills the space between the bead 16 and shoulder 15 of section ill, while the lower head 21 substantially fills the space between shoulder 15) and bead 16 of lower section lb. The intermediate bead 22 is drawn within the ti-shaped recess between shoulder 17 of the two sections, and is effective in maintaining a tight seal at this point. The engagement of the

beads

19 and 21 with the surfaces about them further insures an airtight seal.

When it is desired to break the seal, the lower bead portion 21 is rolled upwardly, as illustrated in Fig. l, and the rounded upper shoulder 29 of band 18 serves as a means for rocking the band upon itself to the position shown in dotted lines above the upper head 16. In the latter position, the band 18 is held against removal by its tight engagement with the casing of the upper shell 11 and is supported further by the head 16 therebelow. It thus occupies an unobstructing position and at the same time is ready for replacement upon the container when the two sections are again who joined. By having the outer surface of the gasket band member 18 rounded, the rocking action of the band in moving from and to scaling positions is facilitated and enables these operations to be carried on with facility.

in the opening operation, the upper bead 16 on member it serves to engage the upper rounded edge of the bead lb and initiates the rolling movement when one edge of the band 18 is lifted, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

After the hot food has been introduced into vessel 13 and the two sections sealed together by means of the band lb, a partial vacuum is formed within the chamber 12 by the condensation of vapors within the chamber. It is found that the gasket band 18 is effective in retaining this vacuum, which further aids in holding the two sections it and ii firmly together. When the band 13 is raised short distance, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the vacuum within the container is broken and the remaining operation of rolling the band upon itself to the upper position shown in dotted lines is rendered easy. it will be understood that, instead of rolling the band upwardly upon member ill, the elastic band may be rolled downwardly upon the lower body section lit, the lower bead 16 of member lb serving to hold the lower bead 21 of the elastic band it? to produce the rolling action already described.

in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the elastic band lb may, if desired, be swung outwardly, as

Fatented May 31, 1955 illustrated at the right-hand side of Fig. 1 to permit disengagement of the upper and lower sections and then allowed to move backwardly to a depending position. Thus, with this operation, the resilient band 18 will be kept in a depending position and will not be rolled to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, we employ a resilient seal band or gasket 24 having at its top an inwardly-extending shoulder portion 25 received between the head 16 and the shoulder 15 of the section 11. The gasket is provided with an'annular recess 26 adapted to receive the rib 14 and with a second annular recess 27 7 adapted to receive the shoulder 14- of the lower section 10,

as shown more clearly in Fig. 5. The gasket is provided with a depending arrow-point portion 28 which normally assumes the position shown in Fig. 4 and bears against the inclined upper surface of the rib 14 of section 10, when the container sections are in spaced-apart relation, as shown in Fig. 4. When the upper section, however, is pressed downwardly, the lower tip portion 28 moves outwardly and the rib 14 of lower section 10 snaps into the recess 27, as illustrated in Fig. 5. At the same time, this operation causes the lower pointed portion 28 to swing outwardly so that it serves as a handle or grip to facilitate easy separation of the sections when this is desired. To disassemble the containers after they have been locked together, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the resilient band or gasket is lifted slightly on the lower edge to free the rib 14 of the lower section 10 and the upper section or cover 11 may lifted off, carrying with it the gasket 24.

The gasket 24 has a central, inwardly-extending V portion 29 which tends to fill the !-shaped recess between ribs 14 of the two sections 10 and 11, as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 5.

In each of the modifications illustrated, the sealing band or gasket is provided with a shoulder firmly anchored upon one of the container sections between the bead and rib thereof, while the lower portion of the band may be swung outwardly for freeing the sections, the gaskets providing a seal between the ribs of the two sections when the sections are united by the band. The resilient gaskets or hands also serve normally to support the two sections in spaced-apart relation when one section is placed upon the other so that the lower end of the band attached to the cover or upper section rests upon the rib of the section below. Downward pressure of the upper section causes the head or rib-engaging portions of the lower portion of the band to form an interlock with portions of the lower section so as to lock the two sections together.

While in the foregoing specification we have shown a specific structure and described it in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating an embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details of structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In a device of the character set forth, a pair of complementary hollow body sections arranged to be secured together to provide a sealed compartment adapted for receiving food therein, each of said sections having an outwardly extending rib near the meeting surfaces thereof, the adjacent facing surfaces of said ribs diverging outwardly and from each other to define a generally V-shaped groove therebetween when the sections are tothereof and along its inner side an outwardly and downwardly inclined surface adapted, when the band is in position upon the upper section, to slidingly engage the rib gether, and an elastic gasket band having inwardly facing grooves alignable with said ribs for receiving the same of the lower section when the sections are pressed together for spreading the band and when said sections are together, to provide a hand area spaced from the lower section.

2. in a structure of the character described, a pair of insulated, complementary hollow body sections arranged to be secured together to provide a heat-insulated compartment adapted to receive food therein, each of said sections being equipped with an outwardly extending, substantially endless rib adjacent the meeting surfaces thereof, said. ribs being dimensioned and arranged to define, when the sections are together, an outwardly facing groove, and an elastic gasket band having inwardly facing grooves alignable with said ribs for receiving the same therein and an inwardly extending bead alignable with and being receivable within said outwardly facing groove, said band having at the lower portion thereof and along its inner side an outwardly and downwardly inclined surface adapted, when the band is in position upon the upper section, to slidingly engage the rib of the lower section when the sections are pressed together for spreading the band, and when the said sections are together, to provide a hand area spaced from the lower section.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said outwardly facing groove is generally V-shaped, and in which said inwardly extending head is generally V-shaped.

4. In a device of the character set forth, a pair of complementary, generally cylindrical hollow body sections arranged to be secured together to provide a sealed compartment adapted to receive food therein, each of said sections being equipped with an outwardly extending, endless circumferential rib adjacent the meeting surfaces thereof, said ribs being dimensioned and arranged to define, when the sections are together, an outwardly facing groove, and an endless elastic gasket band having inwardly facing grooves alignable with said ribs for receiving the same therein and an inwardly extending bead alignable Within said outwardly facing groove, said band having at the lower portion thereof and along its'inner side an outwardly and downwardly inclined surface.

5. In a device for transporting and serving heated foods, a pair of heat-insulated, hollow complementary body sections adapted to be brought together to provide a heat-insulated compartment for receiving heated foods therein, means for sealingly securing said sections together comprising an outwardly extending peripheral rib provided by each of said sections adjacent the meeting surfaces thereof, the ribs being oriented and arranged to define therebetween, when said sections are brought together, an outwardly facing groove, and an endless elastic gasket band having spaced, inwardly facing grooves and an inwardly extending bead therebetween, said inwardly facing grooves being alignable with said ribs for snugly receiving the same and said head being alignable with said outwardly facing groove and dimensioned to be snugly received therein, whereby said elastic band is operative to sealingly secure said sections together with a sealing lock increasing in magnitude as heated food within said compartment cools.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said outwardly facing groove is V-shaped, and in which said head is V- shaped whereby said bead is wedgable within the ou wardly facing groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 241,204 Fry, Jr. May 10, 1881 281,556 Richardson July 1'7, 1883 1,589,588 Dick June 22, 1926 1,711,115 Johnson Apr. 30, 1929 1,784,516 Fairbanks Dec. 9, 1930 2,183,049 I Shofner, Jr. Dec. 12, 1939 2,326,414 Thompson Aug. 10, 1943 2,412,024 Young Dec. 3, 1946