WO2005044693A1

WO2005044693A1 - Thermal bag for transportation of hot meals in horizontal position

Info

Publication number: WO2005044693A1
Application number: PCT/IT2004/000267
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marcello Andelini
Original assignee: Andelini S.P.A.
Priority date: 2003-11-07
Filing date: 2004-05-13
Publication date: 2005-05-19
Also published as: ITPS20030015U1

Abstract

The present invention refers to a thermal bag, of the type obtained with heat-insulating plastic sheets, obtained by overlapping two identical plastic sheets joined with a closing line on the entire perimeter, with the exception of a section used as opening and provided with suitable means to guarantee hermetic sealing of the bag; it being provided that the bag incorporates a transversal handle in central position.

Description

Thermal bag for transportation of hot meals in horizontal position.

The present patent application refers to a thermal bag for transportation of hot meals in horizontal position, preferably pizzas. As it is known, when hot meals are purchased from a pizzeria, delicatessen or restaurant, it is necessary to maintain their integrity during transportation to the place where they are to be consumed and avoid sudden cooling. In other words, it is necessary to maintain hot meals in horizontal position and as hot as possible. These two requirements also exist for the transportation of pizzas; however, no instruments have been so far designed to provide a satisfactory answer to these needs. Take-away pizzas are currently delivered in ordinary cardboard boxes. However, cardboard boxes are mainly used for hygienic purposes, since they protect pizzas against external impurities, while they are quite ineffective in terms of avoiding sudden cooling. The fact that cardboard boxes are not provided with a handle makes it difficult to maintain the boxes in perfect horizontal position, especially when the user is using one hand for other activities, such as opening the pizzeria and/or car door. A careful evaluation of the typical functional limitations of ordinary cardboard boxes for take-away pizzas has led to the realisation of the bag of the invention. The purpose of the new manufacture is to provide an ideal preservation mode for take-away pizzas, both in terms of position and temperature, during transportation from the preparation place to consumption place. The idea of the present invention is to provide a thermal plastic bag (that is to say capable of maintaining the temperature of hot meals) with a square plan slightly larger than the cardboard boxes that are normally used to deliver take-away pizzas. The height of the internal compartment of the bag is such that it can contain a small stack of boxes; it being provided that the boxes are inserted in the compartment in horizontal position through the open side. The open side is provided with a sealing closure of known type, composed of a longitudinal rib on the upper border and a corresponding groove designed to be pressed into the rib. From the aforementioned description it appears evident that the bag of the invention can maintain the temperature of take-away pizzas for a long time; the description continues explaining how the bag can preserve the perfect horizontal position of the pizzas also when the user holds the bag with one hand. To this end the thermal bag is provided with a handle of soft plastic material. The handle is located in central transversal position on the upper side of the thermal bag. Thanks to the special structure and position of the handle, the user can grab the handle, lift and carry the bag (together with the pizzas in the boxes) in perfect horizontal position, thus ensuring the integrity of the pizzas. Finally, it must be noted that, although reference has been made so far to preferential use of the thermal bag of the invention for the transportation of pizzas, alternative versions of the bag can be realised to hold and transport other containers (with different size and shape) for take- away meals. For major clarity the description of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, with are intended for purposes of illustration only and not in a limiting sense, whereby:

- Fig. 1 is an axonometric view of the bag of the invention in open position to show the stack of pizza boxes contained inside;

- Fig. 2 shows an alternative version of the bag of the invention in closed position. With reference to Fig. 1 , the thermal bag of the invention (1) is obtained by overlapping and joining the perimeters of two identical multi-layer plastic sheets (1a, 1 b) capable of maintaining heat, preferably with square plan. In particular, the perimeter joining line (2) is not realised on the side of the bag (1 ) from which the boxes (S) are inserted in horizontal position. As mentioned earlier, side (3) is provided with a sealing closure composed of a longitudinal rib (3a) on the upper sheet (1a), designed to be pressed into a corresponding groove (3b) on the lower sheet (1 b). The bag (1) is provided with a upper handle (4) in central transversal position. In particular, in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1 , the ends of the handle (4) are joined along the closing perimeter line (2) that joins the plastic sheets (1a, 1 b). It is understood that the invention can be provided with a handle (40) with the same central-transversal position and lower length; in this case the ends of the handle (40) are joined against the external side of the upper plastic sheet (1a), as expressly shown in Fig. 2.

Claims

1 ) Thermal bag, of the type obtained with heat-insulating plastic sheets, characterised by the fact that it is obtained by overlapping two identical plastic sheets (1a, 1b) that are joined with a closing line (2) on the entire perimeter, with the exception of a section used as opening (3) and provided with suitable means to guarantee hermetic sealing of the bag (1 ); it being provided that the bag (1) incorporates a transversal handle (4, 40) in central position.

2) Thermal bag as defined in claim 1 , characterised by the fact that the ends of the central-transversal handle (4) are joined to the perimeter closing line. 3) Thermal bag as defined in claim 1 , characterised by the fact that the ends of the central-transversal handle (40) are joined to the external side of the upper plastic sheet (1a).

4) Thermal bag as defined in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the means for the hermetic sealing of the opening (3) consists in a longitudinal rib (3a) on the internal side of the upper sheet (1a) and a corresponding groove (3b) on the internal side of the lower sheet (1 b).

5) Thermal bag as defined in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the plastic sheets (1a, 1 b) have a square shape with slightly larger size than ordinary boxes (S) used to transport take-away pizzas.