Portable and self-contained system for maintaining prepared meals in a cool state and reheating them

• US 6,279,470 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biontronics SA
• Original Assignee: Biontronics SA
• Inventors: Simeray, Janick, Laligant, Pascal, Le Blevennec, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US09/729,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20010004863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• Field of Search: 993/30--33, 993/40, 993/42, 994/47, 994/48, 994/51, 994/67, 994/68, 994/70, 994/83, 99D/IG.14, 62/33, 62/36.1, 622/46, 624/00, 624/30, 624/34, 624/572, 624/566, 126/261, 126/246, 126/375, 165/48.1, 165/902, 165/918, 165/919, 165/61, 165/63, 165/64, 165/267, 165/201, 219/386, 219/387, 219/620-622, 219/506, 219/624, 219/626, 219/649, 219/521, 219/660, 219/671, 219/725, 219/753, 219/675, 219/676, 392/449, 392/459, 426/231, 426/237, 426/243, 426/244, 374/141, 374/149, 374/150, 312/236
• US Class Current: 99/470
• 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: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/028 Heaters specially adapted for trays or plates to keep food or liquids hot
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/12 Cooking devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/902 Heat storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/918 Heated and cooled food cabinets and/or trays

Abstract

A food heating and cooling device including a tray, at least one main dish plate in the tray, at least one secondary dish plate in the tray, a cover associated with the tray for maintaining the food hot or cold, an inducer for heating, reheating or maintaining heat and powered by an electronic generator circuit which induces currents in an armature located on or under the plates, a thermoelectric exchanger for maintaining the food cold or cool by extracting residual heat from the plates and compensates for thermal insulation leaks from the tray and cover, and rechargeable batteries connected to the inducer and the thermoelectric exchanger.

Claims

1. A food heating and cooling device comprising:

a tray;

at least one main dish plate in the tray;

at least one secondary dish plate in the tray;

a cover associated with the tray for maintaining said food hot or cold;

an inducer for heating, reheating or maintaining heat and powered by an electronic generator circuit which induces currents in an armature located on or under said plates;

a thermoelectric exchanger for maintaining the food cold or cool by extracting residual heat from said plates and compensates for thermal insulation leaks from said tray and cover; and

rechargeable batteries connected to said inducer and said thermoelectric exchanger.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the heating, reheating or maintenance of a heated state of a main dish plate compartment is partially implemented by thermal pumping of heat extracted from a secondary dish plate compartment.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said inducer connects to an induction generator circuit by a removable connection.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the inducer is not an integral part of the tray and the tray rests on a support which is integral with the device and contains at least one inducer, and the tray is locked in place on said support by a lock.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one Peltier effect thermoelectric module, at least one interior heat sink and at least one exterior heat sink.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least two internal radiators and an external heat sink, at least two Peltier effect thermoelectric modules and a separating wall.

7. A single-use, disposable tray or cover associated with the device according to claim 1, wherein the tray has an integrated inducer connected to a connector or a recess attachment system connected to an inducer support and the cover is fitted to the tray.

8. A multiple-use, durable tray or cover associated with the device according to claim 1, wherein the tray has an integrated inducer connected to a connector or a recess attachment system connected to an inducer support and the cover is fitted to the tray.

9. A cover according to claim 1, further comprising a folding flap for thermally insulating contents of the tray in the absence of the device.

10. A system for maintaining temperature of prepared meals comprising:

a tray having a fitted cover, a first zone sized and shaped to receive a principal plate for hot food, at least a second zone sized and shaped to receive an appetizer or a dessert on appetizer plates and at least one Peltier effect module, wherein said Peltier effect module transfers heat between interior portions of the tray and the exterior of the tray,

power-supply batteries associated with the tray enabling self-contained use;

a circuit for controlling said Peltier effect modules; and

an induction generator for maintaining the tray at a refrigerated temperature and selective heating of the first zone.

11. The system according to claim 10, characterized in that in the absence of inductive heating said Peltier effect module transfers heat from the interior of the tray to the exterior.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said plate has an armature.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein a thermal connection links the first zone to the second zone, the thermal connection enabling reheating of the food in the second zone up to a cool consumption temperature when the inductive heating is turned on.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the thermal connection is formed by sloped edges of the plate which are left exposed and not made tight.

15. The system according to claim 10, further comprising at least one interior radiator and at least one exterior radiator.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein said cover has an internal wall that separates the first zone from the second zone,

and further comprises two Peltier effect modules which, in the absence of induction, transfer heat in parallel with one module transferring from the first zone to the exterior and the other from the second zone to the exterior, with the transfer of heat from the first zone being inverted when inductive heating is turned on.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising two internal radiators and one exterior radiator.

18. The system according to claim 10, wherein said first zone connects to the induction generator circuit by a removable connection.

19. The system according to claim 10, wherein said first zone is located on a support on which rests said tray without an inducer and which tray is locked in place by a lock.

20. The system according to claim 10, wherein said cover has at least one foldable flap.

21. The system according to claim 10, wherein said tray and said cover are reuseable.

22. The system according to claim 10, wherein said tray and said cover are disposable.