WO2024011083A1 - Dispositif et procédé permettant de conserver des aliments chauds secs par condensation à l'intérieur de vapeur avec une température d'air extérieure - Google Patents

Dispositif et procédé permettant de conserver des aliments chauds secs par condensation à l'intérieur de vapeur avec une température d'air extérieure Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2024011083A1
WO2024011083A1 PCT/US2023/069551 US2023069551W WO2024011083A1 WO 2024011083 A1 WO2024011083 A1 WO 2024011083A1 US 2023069551 W US2023069551 W US 2023069551W WO 2024011083 A1 WO2024011083 A1 WO 2024011083A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
container
perforation
food
absorbent material
absorbent layer
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2023/069551
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
William Birgen
Original Assignee
SAVR Pak Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SAVR Pak Inc. filed Critical SAVR Pak Inc.
Publication of WO2024011083A1 publication Critical patent/WO2024011083A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/24—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants
    • B65D81/26—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators
    • B65D81/264—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators for absorbing liquids

Definitions

  • This invention relates to keeping food dry.
  • this invention relates to preventing food from absorbing ambient moisture and becoming soggy.
  • Hot food delivery food often arrives soggy because food containers trap condensation inside the container. As a result, condensate comes to rest on the food or settles on the bottom of the inside of a food delivery container, resulting in undesirable, soggy food. Food stored temporarily for delivery, or stored long term, can be ruined by condensation forming on the food.
  • This invention keeps delivery food, dry and crisp by removing condensate before it forms on food.
  • This invention is not just limited to restaurant food delivery. This invention can be used from any meal prepared in advance of transportation and or consumption.
  • This invention utilizes any container (“housing”) suitable for enclosing hot food.
  • the dew point temperature inside the container is inherently higher than the temperature outside the food container.
  • a perforation (or perforations) in the wall of the container permits ambient air to flow between the inside of the container and the outside of the container.
  • a perforation i.e., a hole
  • this invention employs an absorbent material (i.e. a coalescer), preferably a dry absorbent material, to cover the perforation or hole(s).
  • an absorbent material i.e. a coalescer
  • a dry absorbent material i.e. a dry absorbent material
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a food container with a perforation. Also shown is an absorbent material covers the perforation and is adhered to the inside of the container.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view looking inside of the container of Fig.
  • the container is empty.
  • the absorbent material is shown covering the perforation.
  • the perimeter of the absorbent material is adhered to the inside face of the container.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a top perspective view of a flexible plastic container holding a typical burger and fries.
  • the container is open, and the absorbent material is covering the perforation.
  • Fig. 4 illustrates the same container with the burger and fries as Fig. 3, but from the opposite side and the container closed.
  • Fig. 5 illustrates a top perspective of a flexible paper bag holding a typical burger and fries.
  • the container is open, and the absorbent material is covering the perforation.
  • Fig. 6 illustrates the same container with the burger and fries as Fig.5, but from the opposite side.
  • the absorbent material is adhered to the outside face of the bag around the perimeter of the opening.
  • Fig 7 illustrates a perspective view looking inside of the container of Fig.
  • Fig 8 illustrates a bag having a perforation with a pleated absorbent material covering the opening. The pleated absorbent material is glued via adhesive to the inside face of the bag around the perimeter of the perforation.
  • Fig. 9 illustrates a bag having a perforation with a frame adhered to the inside of the bag, the absorbent material is adhered to the frame and covers the opening.
  • Fig. 10 is a section view from Fig. 9.
  • Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of Fig. 10.
  • Fig. 12 is a view from inside the bag of Fig. 9.
  • Fig 13 is a clamshell-style container that has a perforation in the top lid, the perforation covered by an absorbent material.
  • Fig. 14 illustrates a perspective view of an open container, a frame pinning the absorbent material across the opening.
  • the invention is embodied in a food storage device comprising three principal elements: (a) a container 10 for enclosing hot food, (b) a perforation 14 (or opening) in the container 10, and (c) an absorbent layer 18 positioned within the perforation 14 or covering the perforation 14 on the inside or the outside of the container 10, wherein air inside the container 10 is thermally exposed to air outside the container 10 via the perforation 14.
  • thermal exposed means air inside the container 10 is exposed to the ambient outside air temperature via absorbent layer 18.
  • absorbent layer 18 When the absorbent layer 18 is covering the perforation, air preferably does not flow through the perforation 14.
  • the inside air is exposed to the outside (air) temperature air via an absorbent layer 18 material with low thermal resistivity.
  • the thermal resistivity of the absorbent material 18 should be less than 20 meter* K/Watt (for conventionally accepted ambient conditions, i.e., 25C and 1 ATM). This embodiment is most effective when the container 10, has a thermal resistivity above that of the absorbent material 18.
  • the ideal thermal resistivity of the (outer) clad layer is less than 1 meter*K/Watt (for standard ambient conditions, 25C & 1 ATM).
  • the container 10 would typically be a plastic or paper bag. Plastic is preferred, particularly when it has a zip-style sealing mechanism as shown in Figs. 1-4.
  • a paper bag is also a suitable container 10 because it can be closed by rolling, stapling, or folding the top. But any closable container should work.
  • the container 10 could be a bag, a box, a clamshell structure, a plastic container with a press-fit lid, it could be a cardboard box, or it could be a more rigid container.
  • a clamshell style container is illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14.
  • the perforation 14 could be one perforation or it could be multiple perforations.
  • the aggregate size of the perforation 14 or perforations for a single-serving of hot food would preferably be between six (6) and fourteen (14) square inches for a container configured to contain 400 to 1,000 grams of food.
  • the ideal surface area for a bag configured to contain 700 grams of food is 10 square inches. This range of surface area has been found suitable to extract a desirable amount of condensate from the air inside the container without letting the food inside the container appreciably cool.
  • the absorbent material 18 can be constructed from the same material as paper towels, cotton, airlaid, linen, papyrus, hemp, natural or synthetic sponge, or an unmentioned plant cellulose. Any absorbent material, whether it is woven or non-woven should suffice. The preferred absorption capacity of the absorbent material is 0.5 mb (or greater) per square inch. This absorbent material 18 should preferably remain dry up until the point it begins to absorb condensate from inside the container 10. As previously noted, the absorbent material preferably does not allow air to flow through it, but the invention can still work as long as the inside air is at least exposed to the outside air temperature.
  • the absorption capacity per unit of surface area can be reduced if the cutout/hole/perforation(s) covered by the absorbent material is increased to achieve the desired effect.
  • the cutout/hole/perforation(s) can be reduced if the absorbent material is pleated to increase the effective absorbent surface area (at the relatively cooler ambient outside air temperature).
  • An ideal pleat is preferably between 0.03 inches to 0.7 inches deep with the “bellows” (pleats) having an angle between faceted adjacent surfaces of 15 degrees to 115 degrees. Ideally the angle and depth of the adjacent faceted surfaces (i.e. bellows) creates uniform spacing and distribution of the surface area.
  • edges of the pleated absorbent material is flattened at its perimeter to create a minimum of 0.2 inches edge distance such that sufficient surface area of the pleated absorbent material may be adhered to the container such that the perforation/opening is completely covered/closed without leaking along the perimeter of the absorbent material.
  • the absorbent material is affixed to the container can vary depending on the circumstances. It is preferred that the absorbent material covers the hole. This absorbent material could be affixed to the container by adhesive, sonic weld, or bonded under pressure, or tapes, or rivets, Velcro, etc. Given the embodiment with the foil facing ambient air, adjacent to the absorbent material which faces the food, the foil and absorbent material and the container could be secured in many of the same methods already proffered. Typically, the absorbent material would be oversized compared to the perforation (opening) so that the excess material 22 could be adhered to the container 10. The excess material 22 could be adhered to the inside face of the container as shown in Fig. 2 or the outside face of the container as shown in Fig. 6.
  • the thickness of the absorbent material is preferably determined by the absorption capacity and its porosity.
  • a more open absorbent material can be thicker to prevent outside airflow from penetrating the absorbent material and entering the inside volume of the container.
  • a less porous absorbent material can be thinner because the cooler ambient air will only be able to influence the temperature of the thinner absorbent material at its outer surface.
  • a combination of layers of various absorbent materials may be used to create a desired effect, maximizing temperature transfer and absorption while minimizing air flow/ leakage of ambient air into the container through the p erfor ati on/cutout/hol e .
  • Fig. 8 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprising a pleated absorbent layer 18.
  • the pleated absorbent layer 18 increases the surface area. Pleats are preferred, but not required.
  • the pleated absorbent layer 18 is preferably connected to the inside face of the container via adhesive. But other suitable connections include sonic weld, staked, or melted, particularly if the container is plastic. The rounded corners of the perforation 14 help mitigate tearing.
  • a frame 20 can be used to strengthen the connection between the absorbent material 18 and the container 10.
  • the frame 20 could be flexible or rigid and could be made out of most any material. It is preferred to make the frame out of the same material as the container.
  • the frame 20 is preferably connected to an inside surface of the container.
  • the absorbent material 18 is placed inside the perforation 14.
  • the frame 20 is connected to both the container 10 and the absorbent material 18.
  • the frame 20 is connected to the container 10 and the absorbent material is connected to the frame 20, covering the opening.
  • adhesive is preferred but other connection methods known in the art would be suitable. It is preferred to have at least two lines of connection 22 to the container 10 and absorbent material respectively.
  • the frame When sizing the frame 20, it is preferred that the frame have a surface area facing the container roughly equal to the surface area of the hole in the container. For the purposes of this specification, roughly equal means having a tolerance of +/-25%.
  • Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate a clamshell style box embodiment. This embodiment is similar to the bag embodiment but with a clamshell style box instead of bag. Those in the art will recognize this as just one of many possible variations.
  • This embodiment illustrates a frame 20 connecting the pleated absorbent material 18 to the container 10, but the pleated absorbent material 18 could be adhered to the container via adhesive around the perimeter (like in Fig. 1).
  • the relative humidity inside the food container ordinarily will be higher than the humidity outside the container.
  • the resulting dew point temperature inside the container would resultingly be higher than the dew point temperature outside the food container.
  • the ambient outside air temperature would be lower than the (elevated) dew point temperature inside the container.
  • the absorbent material 18 can simply be a single layer of absorbent material that is adhered to the container 10 to cover the perforation 14. In these instances, the absorbent material 18 will not begin to be exposed to the (relatively) colder ambient air until it is removed from the heated environment.
  • thermally conductive material clad to the absorbent material.
  • This thermally conductive material could be most any thermally conductive material. Aluminum foil, steel wire mesh, or copper foil, for example, have been found suitable. In this way, the absorbent material covering the container hole becomes more effective because the thermally conductive foil, or similar material, will more readily communicate the cooler ambient air outside the container to the absorbent material, which in turns forms condensate from the air inside the container.
  • This invention is the system which employs the ambient temperature outside any container to force condensation inside the container, which due to the different environment inside said container, the ambient outside air temperature is at or below the dew point temperature inside the container.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention utilise n'importe quel récipient (« logement ») approprié pour renfermer des aliments chauds. Lorsqu'elle est découverte, une perforation dans la paroi du récipient permet à l'air ambiant de circuler entre l'intérieur du récipient et l'extérieur du récipient. Normalement, une perforation (à savoir, un trou) dans le récipient alimentaire qui permet à l'air de passer à travers, ne serait pas avantageuse. Mais la présente invention utilise un matériau absorbant, de préférence un matériau absorbant sec, pour recouvrir le trou. De cette manière, de l'air plus chaud provenant de l'intérieur du récipient rencontre de l'air extérieur relativement plus froid au niveau de la perforation. Quand c'est le cas, l'humidité maintenue par l'air intérieur se condense sur le matériau absorbant. Il s'ensuit que l'humidité maintenue par le matériau absorbant sera maintenue hors de l'aliment chaud à l'intérieur du récipient.
PCT/US2023/069551 2022-07-05 2023-06-30 Dispositif et procédé permettant de conserver des aliments chauds secs par condensation à l'intérieur de vapeur avec une température d'air extérieure WO2024011083A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US202263367716P 2022-07-05 2022-07-05
US63/367,716 2022-07-05

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2024011083A1 true WO2024011083A1 (fr) 2024-01-11

Family

ID=89454121

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2023/069551 WO2024011083A1 (fr) 2022-07-05 2023-06-30 Dispositif et procédé permettant de conserver des aliments chauds secs par condensation à l'intérieur de vapeur avec une température d'air extérieure

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2024011083A1 (fr)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4290521A (en) * 1979-09-10 1981-09-22 Thomas J. Lipton, Inc. Infusion package and method of making same
DE8425945U1 (de) * 1984-09-03 1985-01-31 Gesen, Wolfgang Kaffeefilter mit einer darin eingeschlossenen Portion gemahlenen Kaffees
DE4428948A1 (de) * 1994-08-16 1996-02-22 Johannes Serr Aufnahmebehältnis für Warmspeisen
US20070131667A1 (en) * 2005-12-12 2007-06-14 Amato Daniel M Food container product
US20150329265A1 (en) * 2014-05-15 2015-11-19 Kyllburg Technologies, LLC Food Container With Forced Moisture Removal

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4290521A (en) * 1979-09-10 1981-09-22 Thomas J. Lipton, Inc. Infusion package and method of making same
DE8425945U1 (de) * 1984-09-03 1985-01-31 Gesen, Wolfgang Kaffeefilter mit einer darin eingeschlossenen Portion gemahlenen Kaffees
DE4428948A1 (de) * 1994-08-16 1996-02-22 Johannes Serr Aufnahmebehältnis für Warmspeisen
US20070131667A1 (en) * 2005-12-12 2007-06-14 Amato Daniel M Food container product
US20150329265A1 (en) * 2014-05-15 2015-11-19 Kyllburg Technologies, LLC Food Container With Forced Moisture Removal

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP0443402A2 (fr) Emballage de produits alimentaires
ES2266306T3 (es) Envase para calentamiento de alimentos, dotado de medios de ventilacion.
EP0689517A1 (fr) Recipient isolant pour aliments constitue d'un lamine polymere qui respire
TW200302804A (en) Packaging for shipping heat sensitive products
US20050260367A1 (en) Package comprising a multilayer sheet
US20050118366A1 (en) Barrier materials and containers made therefrom
WO2024011083A1 (fr) Dispositif et procédé permettant de conserver des aliments chauds secs par condensation à l'intérieur de vapeur avec une température d'air extérieure
US20090071850A1 (en) Packaging For Pizza
US9771202B1 (en) Reusable mobile electronic device moisture removal pouch and method
US6523684B1 (en) Flexible CD carrying and storage device
JP4634659B2 (ja) 段ボールシートおよびこれを用いた包装箱
US6793092B1 (en) Disposable container for disposing of used oil
WO2019232602A1 (fr) Agencement de construction dans un sac en papier
US20210315201A1 (en) Shock absorbing device to protect cryopreserved biological material
US5238750A (en) Drying cloth for transportation receptacles
WO2005042374A1 (fr) Materiaux barrieres et recipients constitues desdits materiaux
KR102248957B1 (ko) 단열시트지를 이용한 보냉박스
JPH0744930Y2 (ja) 保冷容器及び保冷袋
JPH092547A (ja) ウエットティッシュ包装体
US20240010415A1 (en) Food Crisper via Condensation Trap Cup
JP2574508Y2 (ja) 手提け袋
JPH068227U (ja) 食品包装用折り容器
EP4341172A1 (fr) Revêtements isolants repulpables, contenants d'expédition et de stockage les comprenant, et procédés pour les fabriquer et les utiliser
JP2505270Y2 (ja) 食品包装用シ―ト
KR890004090Y1 (ko) 1회용 도시락

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 23836214

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1