WO2010125453A1

WO2010125453A1 - Removable cylindrical container for microwave oven food warmer, and apparatus with microwave oven for food automatic vending, with cylindrical container

Info

Publication number: WO2010125453A1
Application number: PCT/IB2010/000988
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stefano Bonet
Original assignee: Polytechnic Laboratory Of Research S.C.A.R.L.
Priority date: 2009-04-29
Filing date: 2010-04-29
Publication date: 2010-11-04
Also published as: IT1394010B1; ITTV20090082A1

Abstract

Cylindrical container for microwave oven, food heater and apparatus for the automatic distribution of food with cylindrical container, where the said container obtained from moulded plastic material, glass, or ceramic-glass, is composed by a circular bottom and a wall of circular section, the said wall being perpendicular with respect to the said bottom, of which in correspondence of the wall are obtained some holes that put in communication the internal environment of the container with the external environment, in which the bottom presents a seat which is reverse formed respect to a male portion in a form of a key engagement protruding with respect to the rotating plate, in such a way as to make the bottom joined with the rotating plate. The apparatus for the automatic distribution of food with cylindrical container, includes a cooking chamber of the microwave oven with a cylindrical shape.

Description

REMOVABLE CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER FOR MICROWAVE OVEN

FOOD WARMER, AND APPARATUS WITH MICROWAVE OVEN FOR

FOOD AUTOMATIC VENDING, WITH CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER

[0001 ] The present embodiment describes a removable cylindrical container for a microwave oven food warmer, in an apparatus for the automatic distribution of food, in particular in the sector of vending.

Application's Field [0002] The sale and supply of food and not by means of a vending machine is now identified with the term of vending. In enterprises, in places frequented by a large number of public, such as railway stations, airports and so on, using the conventional vending machine products that are supplied in larger quantities are hot drinks (coffee, hot chocolate, tea, etc..) and cold drinks (mineral water, canned drinks, fruit juices etc.). In recent years, there has been a discreet increase in consumption and the public with the result of a request for more extensive range of products offered. Currently, vending machines are selling snacks and light meals, fresh (stored under modified atmosphere) as sandwiches, cakes, fresh fruit or fruit juices without preservatives, but it can be argued reasonably that there is will to eroding market share even at a traditional restaurant (restaurants, canteens) through distribution of hot meals prepared both as main and second course dishes. These apparatus work with both chilled and frozen products brought to serving temperature by microwaves inside the distributor. For example, a typical vending machine can briefly include a storage area of products stored at low temperature, selective means of collecting the products stored at low temperature to be placed inside of a microwave oven, and finally at the end of the cooking process, means of delivery of the hot meal. One of the most significant parts of this kind of equipment is given by the microwave oven, essentially composed of a cooking chamber within which microwaves are directed through one or more sources of a magnetron. A rotating plate, which is usually located in a central position with respect to the cooking chamber, is designed to enable the support, above the facade that is facing upward, of a container which holds the food be administered.

State of the art

[0003] Within the food containers for the cooking chamber in a microwave oven, and limited to the cooking chamber of a microwave, a search was conducted, which allowed for earlier detection of at least the following prior art:

DI JP2001 1 65447 (Iguchi)

D2 CN1 372105 (Sun)

D3 DEI 01 14022 (Moebius et al.) D4 CNI 601 187 (Piao)

D5 JP2000255648 (Omae)

D6 JP6125755 (Hirano et al.)

D7 JP2006298381 (Fukaya et al.)

D8 JP63135725 (Ikeda) D9 JP2007301000 (Saito) D10 JP63310751 (GN et al.)

[0004] DI is described a device for microwave cooking comprising a rectangular cavity, within which is positioned to be a cylindrical container with a bottom and a top ridged portion. [0005] D2, D3 and D4 also propose a domestic microwave oven-type with the cooking chamber of cylindrical form.

[0006] D5 is a container for microwave oven. The shape is essentially cylindrical with a circular wall and a bottom, and where the top is a lid that closes the container. The cover is provided with a plurality of holes, which are closed in one case by an adhesive label, so that those holes are not completely sealed. The container is of the type that will include frozen products, stored and then cooked through the passage of the said microwave oven. When the cooking process is started and steam pressure is generated within the container, the steam escapes from the said container, lifting the label and going through those the holes in the lid.

[0007] D6 is a container similar to the previous D5, which is divided into two portions, with the room below in communication with a room above and provided with a corresponding lid with a hole for evacuation of steam pressure. [0008] D7 and D8 represent a substantially cylindrical-shaped container with a removable lid.

[0009] D9 concerns a container of a substantially cylindrical shape, housed in moulded plastic with a removable lid, which between the lid and the bottom of the container, has a residual space useful for the evacuation of cooking steam. [001 0] Dl O is a glass, a ceramic or glass-ceramic for the production of tools for a microwave oven.

[001 1 ] Ultimately it is reasonable to consider known: a) A cooking chamber of a microwave oven with a cavity of circular cross section; b) A cylindrical container for the cooking chamber of a microwave oven, where the said container is moulded plastic, glass, ceramic or glass-ceramic; c) A cylindrical container of type b) provided with lid; d) A cylindrical container of type c) which provides a lid with holes for the disposal of the cooking-heating steam.

Drawbacks

[001 2] As part of microwave ovens, commonly used in vending equipment, both the shape of the cavity, and the bowl or container of food to be heated, all have a conformation substantially rectangular or square. This feature, by fact, either for the container or for the conformation of the cooking chamber, or for both, originates a first drawback due to the fact that it conditions the sizing of the content in the said apparatus. [001 3] Still, on the shape of the container of food to be heated, it can be reasonably claimed that as a result of the polygonal section of the internal compartment it can not be possible to perform a proper sanitization of the said container. And it's known in fact that the presence of corners in articles for food, is an excellent repository of bacteria by preventing proper cleaning treatment as works for routine maintenance. This appears more necessary in the case of equipment for automatic administration of food, such as in merit, which are usually structured to operate large amounts of food, often for long periods and often in particular environmental conditions. The same problem is attributable to the conventional shape of the cooking chamber, the said, just because it offers surfaces with many angles, in fact, makes problematic the implementation of a radical operation of cleaning and sanitation within the routine maintenance. [0014] It's also known that one of the required functions at the vending machines, is the administration of the classic hot sandwich. At the same time the most prevalent form of sandwich is like a "baguette" or loaf of small size, so with an oblong shape, it follows that the use of a traditional container, where the sandwich is placed in a reclining position, does not allow a homogeneous heating, offering surfaces to the heating effect that are more exposed than others. [001 5] It is also known that the best solution to make uniform heating of food in microwave ovens is the rotation of the same during the action of microwaves. In known solutions, thus, the container regardless of the form, simply rests on the turntable, and it is only and solely with its own weight, as well as within the defining walls of the cooking chamber, which is allowed to the container to rotate with the content. Indeed, it may happen that due to interdependent phenomena such as light weight, greasy surfaces, and whatever, the container does not rotate as much as the turntable, or it rotates with a relative motion not consistent with that of the turntable. This situation involves a cooking non-uniform, uneven, to the detriment of the organoleptic characteristics and quality of food so administered. [001 6] Starting from all the abovementioned, there is a need for businesses, particularly in the sector, to identify alternative solutions, more effective than the ones hitherto in place. One purpose of this found is also to overcome the disadvantages outlined above.

Short description of the embodiment

[001 7] This and other aims are achieved with the present embodiment according to the characteristics of the attached claims, solving the problems presented by means of a removable cylindrical container for microwave oven, food heater, and equipment for the automatic distribution of food with cylindrical container, where that container housed in moulded plastic, glass, ceramic or glass-ceramic is composed of a circular bottom and a circular wall, the said wall perpendicular to the said bottom, which said wall are made holes that bring into communication the inside environment of the container with the external environment in which the bottom has a seat that is female profiled so that compared to a male portion it jigs like a key commitment that protrudes from the turntable, so as to make united the bottom of container with the rotating plate. The equipment for the automatic distribution of food with cylindrical container, includes a cooking chamber of the microwave with a cylindrical shape.

Aims

[001 8] In this way, through the considerable creative contribution whose effect has allowed to achieve a considerable technical progress, certain aims and advantages are achieved. [001 9] A primary aim object of this present embodiment was to maximize the available area and avoid corners that can create a receptacle for dirt and bacterial growth.

[0020] A second aim was to make more uniform heating or cooking food in a microwave oven equipped with a device capable of determining the rotation of the same during the action of microwaves. In fact it is not known a rotating cylindrical container, cleanable in a periodical manner and characterized by an extremely simple coupling to the rotation mechanism, in other words to the rotating plate, which can be conveniently provided at the bottom of each microwave oven in vending equipment.

[0021 ] A third aim is to propose a cylindrical container especially for the needs of microwave ovens to heat quickly sandwiches and snacks alike, which are generally dispensed from vending machines and vending. In this way the cylindrical container can be removed quickly from the place of rotation provided in the bottom of the cylindrical cavity of the microwave heating system to allow the immediate replacement of the cylinder, to the aim of a replacement with a cylinder equal, which was sanitized and sealed to replace the previous used one, during the supplying of the vending machine abovementioned, and thus, in this way guarantees a better hygiene and consistent especially with regard to the microwave heating section.

[0022] Still with reference to the cylindrical shape of the container, it also guarantees the. containment of any liquid and semi-solids that may contaminate other vital parts of the microwave heating system and cause malfunctions of various types. Regarding the presence of holes drilled in the wall, the provision of these allows the escape of cooking steam, a circumstance facilitated by the presence of holes in correspondence of any cover that closes the mouth of the cylindrical container. [0023] Ultimately, it was possible to obtain a container integrated and compact, of good technology content, reproducible at low cost. These and other advantages will appear from the subsequent detailed description of preferential solutions of realization with the help of the attached schematic drawings, whose execution details are not intended exhaustive but only illustrative.

Drawing content

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the cylindrical container of the present found;

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the lid of the cylindrical container of the present found; Figure 3 is a plan view of the rotating plate for microwave oven designed to support the cylindrical container shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a side view of the rotating plate of Figure 3.

Example of realization of the embodiment [0024] In a device for administration of hot foods, such as a vending machine that includes at least one refrigerator compartment for conservation of frozen foods to be served hot selectively, and adjacent to at least a microwave oven is expected that within the cavity at the base, there is a rotating plate (10). The said turntable (10), is of the circular section type(Fig. 3) and provides the corresponding turn-up facade (a) to support the cylindrical container (20) of food to be heated, at least a portion protruding (100). The said protruding portion (100), is obtained centrally compared to the facade (a) of the rotating plate (10), and has a configuration that in a possible solution is like a male cross, constituting the key commitment of the container cylindrical (20), so as to make solidarity with the rotation of the plate (10) also said cylindrical container (20). In a possible solution in order to further contain the size of the cooking chamber, it is suggested to match the rotating plate (10) to a cooking chamber of a microwave with a circular cross section. [0025] The cylindrical container (20) (Fig. 1 ), which is to be placed at the front (a) of the rotating plate (10), consists of a bottom (200) and a wall (201 ) perpendicular to the said fund (200), of constant circular cross section. The bottom (200) presents at the coupling interface of the rotating plate (10), at least one corresponding coupling seat (210) which is of polygonal section which jigs with respect to the protruding portion (100), and that in the example illustrated consists of a female seat cross shaped, so as to accommodate in its inside the said protruding portion (100). In correspondence to the wall (201 ), apart from the bottom (200), the openings are cut in the form of holes (220), which can be placed along the perimeter or distributed locally, as passing through the wall thickness (201 ) sharing the inside of the cylindrical container (20) with the outside, to allow the evacuation of cooking fumes.

[0026] The cylindrical container (20) in a case can be fitted with a lid (30) (Fig. 2), which lid (30) is provided along the perimeter by an edge (300) followed by an annular tooth (301 ) in a recessed position to occlude the mouth of the cylindrical container (20) and of passing through holes (302) having the same function of the wall holes (220). [0027] In terms of construction, both the cylindrical container and lid (20, 30), the rotating plate (10, 100) will be obtained by plastic injection moulding process but could well also be of glass or similar material so that will not be attacked by the same microwaves.

References

(10) plate (a) facade

(20) cylindrical container

(30) lid

(100) protruding portion

(200) bottom (201 ) wall

(210) coupling seat

(220) wall holes

(300) edge

(301 ) annular tooth (302) passing through holes

Claims

7. Cylindrical container (20) removable for microwave oven, food warmer, and equipment for the automatic distribution of food with cylindrical container (20), in which said container housed in moulded plastic, glass, ceramics, glass-ceramic is composed from a circular bottom (200) and a wall (201 ) of constant circular section, and in which the said wall (201 ) is perpendicular to the bottom (200), characterized in that the bottom (200) has at least one coupling seat (210).

2. Cylindrical container (20), according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bottom (200) has at least one coupling seat (210) of polygonal section.

3. Cylindrical container (20), according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that in correspondence of the wall (201 ), apart from the bottom (200), are derived wall holes (220) passing through the thickness of the wall (201 ).

4. Cylindrical container (20), according to previous claims, characterized in that has a lid (30), with passing through holes (302).

5. Equipment with microwave oven for the automatic distribution of food with cylindrical container (20) in at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that inside the cooking chamber of the microwave oven there is a rotating plate (1 0), of circular section, with in correspondence of the front facade (a) that support the cylindrical container (20) of food to be heated, at least one protruding portion (1 00).

6. Equipment with microwave oven for the automatic distribution of food with cylindrical container (20) according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the protruding portion (100), is obtained centrally compared to the front faςade (a) of the rotating plate (10), and has a polygonal configuration constituting the key commitment of the cylindrical container (20), so as to make solidarity within the rotation of the rotating plate (10) also the said cylindrical container (20), being that the coupling seat (210) jigs in with the male protruding portion (100).

7. Equipment with microwave oven for the automatic distribution of food with cylindrical container (20) according to claim 5 and 6, characterized in that includes the cooking chamber of the microwave oven with a cylindrical shape.