Plate made of plastic material and method for producing a plate

Abstract

There is disclosed a plate (1) made of plastics material, in particular for young children, with a cavity (5) provided between a food surface (2) and a bottom area (3), and with a closeable opening (6) for filling the cavity (5) with a temperature control medium, wherein the plate (1) is blow-molded as one piece with the opening (6) whose axis is substantially parallel to the plane defined by the bottom area (3) and which is located in a lateral jacket face (4) joining the food surface (2) and the bottom area (3). Moreover, a method for producing such a plate (1) is described, wherein the plastics material for forming the plate (1) as one piece is blow-molded, and with the opening (6) provided in a lateral jacket face (4) which interconnects the food surface (2) and the bottom area (3) being produced at the same time.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a plate made of plastics material, in particular for young children, with a cavity provided between a food surface and a bottom area, and with a closeable opening for filling the cavity with a temperature control medium.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of producing a plate of plastics material with a cavity and with an opening for filling the cavity with a temperature control medium.

[0003] By “Plate” in connection with the present invention any container for food is to be understood, this term comprising both plate-shaped containers having a flat surface as well as trough-shaped soup-plate-like containers which may have any shape desired, e.g round, angular, oval etc.

[0004] Various thermos plates for children have already been known in which a cavity between a food surface and a bottom area can be filled with a heating medium so as to keep the food surface warm. From FR 1 601 401 A, e.g., a thermos plate is known in which a cavity can be filled with hot water via an opening provided on the food surface side so as to keep the temperature of the plate on a certain level. To entice the child to eat quickly, a mock-up in the shape of a bird is provided in the rim region of the plate via whose beak opening liquid can be returned into the plate. However, this one and also other known thermos plates (cf. e.g., CH 568 052 A and EP 199 562 A2) without exception consist of several elements welded or glued together which, particularly in view of the careless way in which children handle plates, have a short life only, since the welding or gluing sites, respectively, tend to become leaky so that there exists the risk of the heating medium, such as hot water, emerging, resulting in a substantial risk of injury.

[0005] On the other hand—e.g. from U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,981 A—plates are known which have a depressed partial region so as to facilitate the complete removal of a liquid introduced into the plate. However, since these plates do not have any means by which it is possible to keep the temperature level of the plate constant over an extended period of time, the food will cool relatively quickly because of the distracted eating behavior of children.

[0006] From U.S. Pat. No. 2,683,974 A a plastics plate is known which has a cavity between a food surface and a bottom area, which cavity can be filled with hot water via an opening so as to heat the food surface. Without indicating a precise production method, the plate is formed in one piece, and it has a relatively small opening arranged on the upper side of the plate rim for filling and emptying the plate with a heating medium. A disadvantage is, however, that air inclusions will unintentionally form when filling the cavity with the heating medium so that only a poor thermo-activity will be achieved.

[0007] The invention now has as an object to provide a plate which is simple and inexpensive to produce and which nevertheless reduces the risk of an unintentional leaking of the heating or cooling medium, such as hot water or ice water, due to leaks of the plate, and thus largely avoids the risk of contaminations, but also of burns and the like. Moreover, the plate according to the invention is to be easily and completely fillable with a heating or cooling medium, and also the complete removal, in particular of liquid food, is to be facilitated. Moreover, a method of producing a plate is to be provided which also reduces the risk of leaky sites in the plate and furthermore allows for a cost-saving production of the plate in large numbers and without any problems.

[0008] The inventive plate of the initially defined type is characterized in that the plate is blow-molded as one piece with the opening whose axis is substantially parallel to the plane defined by the bottom area and which is located in a lateral jacket face joining the food surface and the bottom area. By this integral design of the plate, welding, or gluing sites, respectively, and also plug connections of individual components of the plate can be avoided, resulting in a plate in which the risk of leaky sites is considerably reduced as compared to conventional plates provided with cavities. On account of this one-piece design, the risk of an unintentional emergence of heating or cooling medium filled into the cavity is largely eliminated and thus, e.g. if hot water is used, the risk of burns is clearly reduced. Moreover, this one-piece design of the plate results in an extremely simple, cost-saving production. Thus, if the plate is filled with a heating medium, it can be used as a thermos plate for keeping hot dishes, such as soups or the like, warm, and if filled with a cooling medium, it can be used for keeping cool e.g. ice-cream, fruit or the like. Moreover, by providing the opening in the lateral jacket face with the axis substantially parallel to the plane defined by the bottom area, the production by blow-molding as one piece is favorably influenced, since the lateral opening can be co-produced without any problems.

[0009] Moreover, by the lateral arrangement of the opening, the plate may simply be filled with hot water as a heating medium, in the manner of a thermos bottle, or with a cooling medium for cooling purposes, with an unimpeded escape of air being possible from the cavity through the opening during the filling procedure. If the opening is arranged perpendicular to the bottom area as it is the case in the plates known from the prior art, there is the risk that the air collected in the cavity cannot escape during filling and thus the plate cannot be completely filled with the heating or cooling medium (hot water or ice water). This in turn will result in a much poorer function of the plate.

[0010] In order to achieve a good insulation against the heat or the cold, respectively, while at the same time enabling the desired temperature control of the food surface, it is suitable if the plastics material in the bottom area has a greater material thickness compared with the food surface. By the relatively thick bottom area as compared to the food surface, the risk of getting a burn when touching the plate at its bottom side in turn is reduced if the plate is a thermos plate.

[0011] If the food surface is trough-shaped, the plate will be particularly suitable for accommodating liquid and pap-type food which young children prefer to eat. Due to the trough-shaped configuration, lateral spilling of the liquid or pap-type food is reliably prevented.

[0012] To simplify the complete consumption particularly of liquid or pap-type food, it is advantageous if the food surface has a deepened partial region as has been known per se. With the help of this deepened partial region—which can be produced without any problems when the plate is being blow-molded—the liquid or pap-type food, respectively, will collect in this partial region of the food surface, resulting in a concentrated accumulation even if a comparatively small amount of food is left, which accumulation can easily be taken up with a spoon even by smaller children. In particular, it is also suitable if the plate has an indentation in a lateral rim region adjacent the deepened partial region, so as to facilitate with this indentation the taking up of the food collected in the deepened partial region, resulting in a kind of guide for the spoon.

[0013] For a simple, reliable closure of the opening of the plate it is suitable if the opening has a flange with an external screw thread. There, it is particularly advantageous if the opening is closeable with a screw-type closing means having a self-sealing thread, since by this also the outflow of heating or cooling medium through this opening will reliably be prevented and, moreover, the provision of additional gaskets which possibly might be subject to a high wear can be omitted. As regards a simple filling of the plate, it is suitable if the opening is relatively large, e.g. if the diameter of the opening is at least half as large as the entire height of the plate, since in this manner also a screw-type closure of a relatively large diameter will result which usually cannot be gripped by a young child's hand. In this manner, an unintentional opening of the screw-type closure by children can reliably be avoided.

[0014] As regards a comfortable handling means of the plate which is not influenced by the heating or cooling medium, it is advantageous if at least one handle is provided separately from the cavity.

[0015] To prevent an unintentional slippage of the plate, it is suitable if at least one friction-increasing attachment is provided on the bottom area.

[0016] The method according to the invention for producing a plate is characterized in that the plastics material for forming the plate as one piece is blow-molded, with the opening provided in a lateral jacket face which interconnects the food surface and the bottom area being produced at the same time. By producing the plate with a blow-molding method, a shaping of the plate in one piece is feasible in a simple manner, thus avoiding welding or gluing sites, respectively, general connections by non-positive locking, and also plug-in connections, and general connections by positive locking, of individual elements of the plate need not be provided, whereby also the risk of leaky sites is clearly reduced. At the same time, also an opening provided in the lateral jacket face of the plate can be produced in one single production process, via which opening the plate to be produced can be filled with a heating or cooling medium, respectively, in a simple manner like a thermos bottle, wherein it can reliably be avoided that the cavity, due to air inclusions therein, will only partially be filled with said heating or cooling medium, respectively.

[0017] As regards a simple shaping of the plate, it is particularly suitable if the plastics material is extrusion-blow molded, injection-blow molded or stretch-blow molded.

[0018] To allow for variable designs of the plate, it is suitable if, prior to blow-molding, the plastics material is injected into an injection mold with an injection channel-provided core part so as to provide a preform which subsequently will be blow molded. In particular, it is made possible in this manner that the preform will be formed with different wall thicknesses on two longitudinal sides, whereby it will be easy to produce a plate whose food surface has a smaller wall thickness than its bottom area. Thus, e.g. when using it as a thermos plate—a suitable heat insulation towards the lower side of the plate will be provided, on the one hand, and the desired heat delivery towards the food side of the plate will be achieved, on the other hand. Similar arguments hold, of course, when the plate is used as a cooling container.

[0019] To keep the number of the individual production steps as low as possible, it is advantageous if a screw thread is injection-molded in the plastics material in the region of the opening of the finished plate. In this manner, the plastics material which already has a screw-thread subsequently can be shaped as desired with a blow-molding method, the end regions of the plastics material that have a screw-thread forming the opening for filling the plate with a heating or cooling medium, and the compressed air required being introduced via this opening during the blow-molding procedure.

[0020] In the following, the invention will be further explained by way of a preferred exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawing to which, however, it shall not be restricted. In detail,

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a plate;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows an elevation view of a semi-section of the plate according to FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a detail of a lateral indentation of the plate; and

[0024] FIG. 4 shows an injection mold for producing a preform of the plate.

[0025] In FIGS. 1 and 2, a plate 1 is shown which comprises an upper food surface 2 and a lower bottom area 3. In the configuration of the plate 1 in the manner of a soup plate, the food surface 2 is trough-shaped, and the food surface 2 and the bottom area 3 are interconnected by aid of a lateral jacket face 4. The food surface 2, the bottom area 3 and the lateral jacket face 4 together enclose a cavity 5 which can be filled with a heating or cooling medium, e.g. hot water, ice water or the like, via an opening or an opening socket 6. Thus, the plate can be used as a thermos plate if filled with a hot medium, and as a cooling plate if filled with a cooling medium, so as to keep cool, e.g., ice-cream, fruit, or the like.

[0026] As is particularly visible in FIG. 2, the bottom area 3 is thicker-walled in comparison with the food surface 2 so as to achieve an increased heat insulation towards the bottom. The relatively thin wall thickness of the food surface 2, on the other hand, has the advantage that a medium filled into the cavity 5, e.g. hot water, will enable a rapid heat exchange also with the food provided on the food surface 2. As the plastics material for producing the plate, various plastics, e.g. polypropylene, polyethylene and the like, can be used, and also a multi-layered design is possible. Likewise, the plastics material can be admixed with thermochromic dyes so as to indicate the temperature of the plate. Alternatively, also an LCD temperature indication could be provided on the plate 1, e.g. glued thereto. The plate 1 may also have an imprint.

[0027] The food surface 2 has a deepened partial region 7 in which food residues can be collected so as to facilitate spooning out of these food residues. For this purpose, it may be advantageous if, as shown in FIG. 3, an indentation 9 is provided in the rim region 8 of the plate 1, i.e. in the jacket face 4 thereof, adjacent the deepened partial region 7, since in this manner a type of guide is created for a spoon for spooning out the deepened partial region 7.

[0028] The lateral, socket-type opening 6 for filling the cavity 5 with a heating or cooling medium is provided in the lateral jacket face 4. The cross-section of the opening extends substantially perpendicularly to a plane defined by the bottom area 3. This has the advantage that the plate 1 can be filled easily with hot water, e.g. from the tap, in the manner of a thermos bottle. Such an orientation of the opening 6 is particularly suitable since the air present in the cavity 5 during the filling procedure can emerge unimpeded via the opening 6 and thus the cavity can reliably be filled in its entirety with the heating or cooling medium. To check the water level in the cavity 5, the plate 1 may also be made of translucent material. A relatively large cross-section of the opening 6 will allow for a relatively simple and quick filling of the cavity 5 with a heating or cooling medium, on the one hand; on the other hand, from this there will also result a relatively large cross-section—diameter d—of a cap-shaped screw-type closure 10 provided to close the opening 6, whose outer cross-section (cf. diameter d) may, e.g. correspond substantially to one half of the height h of plate 1. The relatively large diameter d of the screw-type closure 10 is particularly advantageous in that it cannot be gripped by a young child's hand, an unintentional opening of the screw-type closure 10 by a young child thus being impossible. As regards a simple, reliable sealing of the opening 6, the socket or flange 12 defining the opening 6 has an outer thread 11 which results in a self-sealing connection with an inner thread 11′ of the screw-type closure 10.

[0029] Finally, in FIGS. 1 and 2, a handle 13 is visible on the side diametrically opposite the screw-type closure, which handle is separate from the cavity 5 and thus is not flowed through by the heating or cooling medium.

[0030] Moreover, a friction-increasing rubber ring 14 is glued to the lower side of the bottom area 3, which prevents slippage of the plate 1 on the surface of a table. Of course, also individual anti-skid legs could be provided instead of the ring 14.

[0031] In FIG. 4, an injection mold 15 is shown for producing a preform for the plate 1. The injection mold 15 is essentially assembled of a mold part 16 and a core part 17 with a central injection channel 18. With the assistance of the injection mold 15, liquid plastics material is introduced over the core part 17 into the cavity 20 in the direction of arrow 19. With a view to different material thicknesses of the plate at the food surface 2 as compared to the bottom area 3, the cavity 20 has different thicknesses on the two longitudinal sides of the wedge-shaped core part 17. Moreover, the thread 11 of the plate 1 in the region 20′ of the cavity 20 is co-injection-molded together with the production of the preform in the injection mold 15. After a removal of the preform from the injection mold 15, the former can be molded as desired in a subsequent blow-molding procedure via the opening 6 formed in the thread region. Thus, there results a single-piece plate 1 which no longer harbors the risk of leaky sites caused by glued or welded sites. The finishing of the plate 1 may be effected in a per se conventional manner by stretch-blow molding. Other blow molding methods which advantageously may be used for producing the plate described are the extrusion-blow molding or the injection-blow molding.

Claims

1. A plate (1) made of plastics material, in particular for young children, with a cavity (5) provided between a food surface (2) and a bottom area (3), and with a closeable opening (6) for filling the cavity (5) with a temperature control medium, characterized in that the plate (1) is blow-molded as one piece with the opening (6) whose axis is substantially parallel to the plane defined by the bottom area (3) and which is located in a lateral jacket face (4) joining the food surface (2) and the bottom area (3).

2. A plate according to claim 1, characterized in that the plastics material in the bottom area (3) in comparison with the food surface (2) has a greater material thickness.

3. A plate according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the food surface (2) is trough-shaped.

4. A plate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the food surface (2) has a deepened partial region (7).

5. A plate according to claim 4, characterized in that it has an indentation (9) in a lateral rim region (8) adjacent the deepened partial region (7).

6. A plate according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the opening (6) has a flange (12) with an external screw thread (11).

7. A plate according to claim 6, characterized in that the opening (6) is closeable with a screw-type closure (10) having a self-sealing screw thread (11′).

8. A plate according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one handle (13) is provided separately from the cavity (5).

9. A plate according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that at least one friction-increasing fixture (14) is provided on the bottom area (3).

10. A method for producing a plate (1) of plastics material with a cavity (5) provided between a food surface (2) and a bottom area (3) and an opening (6) to fill the cavity (5) with a temperature control medium, characterized in that the plastics material for forming the plate (1) as one piece is blow-molded, with the opening (6) provided in a lateral jacket face (4) which interconnects the food surface (2) and the bottom area (3) being produced at the same time.

11. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the plastics material is extrusion-blow molded, injection-blow molded or stretch-blow molded.

12. A method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, prior to blow-molding, the plastics material is injected into an injection mold (15) with an injection channel (18)-provided core part (17) so as to provide a preform which subsequently will be blow molded.

13. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the preform is formed with different wall thicknesses on two longitudinal sides.

14. A method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that a screw thread (11) is injection-molded in the plastics material.