Warm food isothermal container, particularly for collective catering

• US 5,497,883 A
• Filed: 01/03/1995
• Issued: 03/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monetti SPA (Fincop SRL)
• Original Assignee: Monetti SPA (Fincop SRL)
• Inventors: Monetti, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Jimmy G.
• Application Number:
  US08/368,015
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 206/541, 206/545, 206/546, 206/549, 219/386, 219/387, 220/23.6, 220/23.8, 220/308, 220/318, 220/326, 294/145, 294/165, 294/166
• US Class Current: 206/545
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/006 for either storing and preparing or for preparing food on serving trays, e.g. heating, thawing, preserving
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/005 comprising heat or cold producing means, i.e. energy transfer from outside the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 47/14 Carriers for prepared human food lunch boxes, picnic boxes, or the like A45C11/20

Abstract

An isothermal container for warm foodstuffs, comprising a tray of thermally insulating material provided with recesses housing respective food vessels, and a cover of thermally insulating material detachably secured onto the tray. For each of the food vessels a respective rigid covering member is provided for, having an annular soft sealing gasket formed with integral resilient thrust projections. The tray further incorporates an electric-heating-resistor thermoregulation system, and is equipped with a transport basket, having a handle and to which a forced closure member of the cover relative to the tray is anchored.

Claims

1. A warm food isothermal container, particularly for collective catering, comprising a tray made of a thermally insulating material provided with recesses housing therein respective vessels for containing foodstuffs, at least in part warm, each vessel having a respective rim, and a cover made of a thermally insulating material detachably applied onto the tray, and further comprising, for each of said vessels, a respective covering member and resilient pressing means for providing substantially hermetic closure of said covering member against the rim of the respective food vessel by virtue of the pressure applied by the cover when the latter is placed upon the tray of the container, and wherein each covering member is constituted by a rigid body of moulded plastic material having a perimetral bearing flange with an inner face provided with an annular soft sealing gasket moulded over said rigid body, said annular gasket being formed with integral anchoring projections protruding upon the outer face of said perimetral flange, via axial through holes thereof, and defining said resilient pressing means.

2. Container according to claim 1, further comprising a releasable forced closure member of the cover on the tray.

3. Container according to claim 2, wherein said forced closure member comprises an elongated member resting upon the cover and having two hook-like articulated end elements adapted to snap fit within two complementary end seats of the tray.

4. Container according to claim 3, wherein said elongated member is equipped with a transport handle.

5. Container according to claim 1, wherein the tray incorporates a thermoregulation system comprising at least one electrical heating resistor operatively associated to at least one of said recesses, and terminal contact means connected to said thermoregulation system and accessible from outside of the container for connection thereof to an outer electrical supply source.

6. Container according to claim 5, wherein the tray is provided with display means for indicating the energized condition of the or each electrical heating resistor.

7. Container according to claim 5, wherein said at least one electrical heating resistor is a film resistor and is fitted beneath the corresponding recess of the tray.

8. Container according to claim 5, further comprising a transport device formed by a support having a shape complementary to that of the container and carrying a multiple contact unit cooperating with said terminal contact means, when the container is fitted within said support, and adapted to be connected to said outer electrical supply source.