Food Storage Container, and Cooling System Therefor
A food storage container cooling system with a food storage container with walls, at least one wall defining an internal compartment with a top and a bottom, wherein the internal compartment is open at the top and closed at the bottom, and a reusable ice pack that is sized and shaped to fit into the compartment.
This application claims priority to Provisional Application 62/326,072, filed on Apr. 22, 2016.
BACKGROUNDThis disclosure relates to a food storage container.
There are many situations in which food must be kept cold outside of a refrigerator. Food can be stored in a container, and the container can be kept in a cooler with ice. This can be difficult, and clumsy.
SUMMARYAll examples and features mentioned below can be combined in any technically possible way.
Featured in this disclosure is a food storage container cooling system. The food storage containers include thin compartments on each of their sides. Reusable (flexible or rigid) ice packs are provided, at least one for each such side. The ice packs are sized and shaped to fit into a compartment. The contents of the container are thus cooled from all sides. The container lid is preferably attached to the container. The lid has a good seal to the container, to help keep coolness in and moisture and condensation out. The containers can have any convenient shape, such as square, rectangular, round, or bowl-shaped, and can be of any size.
In one alternative arrangement, there can be an inner container that fits into an outer container. The inner container may have the same shape but be smaller, so that it is spaced from the main container. In this case the ice packs can fit between the two containers rather than into the walls of one container. The inner bowl can be releasably fixable to the outer bowl to allow them to be separate. When separated, they can be used by themselves and can be cleaned. For example, the inner bowl may be stainless steel or another material and be adapted to be removed from the outer bowl and then used as a serving bowl.
In one example the food storage container cooling system includes a food storage container with walls, at least one wall defining an internal compartment that is open at the top and closed at the bottom, a reusable ice pack that is sized and shaped to fit into the compartment, and a lid that is sized and shaped to seal to and close the container. The ice pack(s) may or may not be flexible, depending on whether or not they need to be flexed in order to fit into a compartment. Each wall of the container may define an internal compartment that is open at the top and closed at the bottom. The lid may be coupled and hinged to the container. The lid may have a seal that seals to the top of the container. The walls that form the compartment(s) may be the walls of two separate nested containers, so that an inner container can be removed from an outer container.
Embodiments may include one of the following features, or any combination thereof. Each wall of the container may define an internal compartment that is open at the top and closed at the bottom. The walls may be of separate containers, so that an inner container can be removed from an outer container. The food storage container may comprise an outer bowl and a separate inner bowl, where the bowls are constructed and arranged to nest, with a gap between them that defines an internal compartment. The food storage container may comprise an outer soft cooler and an inner rigid interior shell that is at least in part spaced from the cooler, to define an internal compartment. The outer cooler may have a plurality of walls, and the shell may be spaced from each of the walls.
Embodiments may include one of the following features, or any combination thereof. The internal compartments may be integrally formed with the container. The internal compartments may project inwardly from the walls as open-top pockets. An internal compartment may be located within a wall. The ice pack may be flexible, so it can be formed to the shape of the internal compartment. The food storage container cooling system may include a lid that is sized and shaped to seal to and close the container. The lid may be coupled and hinged to the container. The lid may have seal that seals to the top of the container. The container may be designed to store liquid, such as a baby bottle.
The food storage containers include one or more internal compartments. Reusable ice packs are provided, one for each internal compartment. The ice packs are sized and shaped to fit into a compartment. The contents of the container are thus cooled from one or more sides, without the need for any separate cooler, or any separate ice or ice packs. The container lid is preferably attached to the container, but can be separate from the container. The lid has a good seal to the container, to help keep coolness in and moisture and condensation out. The containers can have any convenient shape, such as square, rectangular, round, or bowl-shaped, and can be of any size.
In one alternative arrangement, there can be an inner container that fits into an outer container. The inner container may have the same shape but be smaller, so that it is spaced from the main container. In this case the ice packs can fit between the two containers rather than in the walls of one container. The inner container can be (but need not be) releasably fixable to the outer container, to allow them to be separated. When separated, they can be used by themselves, and can be cleaned. For example, the inner container may be stainless steel bowl, or another material, and be adapted to be removed from the outer container (bowl) and then used as a serving bowl.
In one example the food storage container cooling system includes a food storage container with walls, at least one wall defining an internal compartment that is open at the top and closed at the bottom, a reusable ice pack that is sized and shaped to fit into the compartment, and an optional lid that is sized and shaped to seal to and close the container. The ice pack(s) may or may not be flexible, depending on whether or not they need to be flexed in order to fit into a compartment. Each wall of the container may define an internal compartment that is open at the top and closed at the bottom. The lid may be coupled and hinged to the container. The lid may have a seal that seals to the top of the container. The walls that form the compartment(s) may be but need not be the walls of two separate nested containers, so that an inner container can be removed from an outer container.
Several non-limiting, specific, examples of the disclosure, are shown in the drawings.
In this particular, non-limiting example, the compartments are a bit shorter than the outer wall of the container, such that their tops lie below container rim 105. This allows the ice packs (explained below) to be grasped for insertion and removal from a compartment. Also, the inner walls (such as wall 108), can define a small cutaway (e.g., cutaway 109) that can also help a person to grasp an ice pack between the thumb and a finger. As best shown in
Ice pack 150, shown in
The containers should have a top or lid, but do not have to have a top. The top can be attached, or not.
Another alternative design contemplates the type of cooler with soft sides and a rigid interior shell. The shell can be designed to be smaller than the inside dimensions of the cooler, to leave a gap between the cooler walls and the shell. Ice packs can be fitted into this gap, in a manner similar to that shown in
A round design 30 is depicted in
Other alternatives are possible, and features in one drawing could be used in examples of other drawings, as would be apparent. A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that additional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts described herein, and, accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A food storage container cooling system, comprising:
- a food storage container with walls, at least one wall defining an internal compartment with a top and a bottom, wherein the internal compartment is open at the top and closed at the bottom; and
- a reusable ice pack that is sized and shaped to fit into the compartment.
2. The food storage container cooling system of claim 1, wherein each wall of the container defines an internal compartment that is open at the top and closed at the bottom.
3. The food storage container cooling system of claim 1, wherein the walls are of separate containers, so that an inner container can be removed from an outer container.
4. The food storage container cooling system of claim 3, wherein the food storage container comprises an outer bowl and a separate inner bowl, where the bowls are constructed and arranged to nest, with a gap between them that defines an internal compartment.
5. The food storage container cooling system of claim 3, wherein the food storage container comprises an outer soft cooler and an inner rigid interior shell that is at least in part spaced from the cooler, to define an internal compartment.
6. The food storage container cooling system of claim 5, wherein the outer cooler has a plurality of walls, and the shell is spaced from each of the walls.
7. The food storage container cooling system of claim 1, wherein the internal compartments are integrally formed with the container.
8. The food storage container cooling system of claim 7, wherein the internal compartments project inwardly from the walls as open-top pockets.
9. The food storage container cooling system of claim 1, wherein an internal compartment is located within a wall.
10. The food storage container cooling system of claim 1, wherein the ice pack is flexible, so it can be formed to the shape of the internal compartment.
11. The food storage container cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a lid that is sized and shaped to seal to and close the container.
12. The food storage container cooling system of claim 11, wherein the lid is coupled and hinged to the container.
13. The food storage container cooling system of claim 11, wherein the lid comprises a seal that seals to the top of the container.
14. The food storage container cooling system of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a liquid storage container.
15. The food storage container cooling system of claim 14, wherein the container comprises a baby bottle.
16. A food storage container cooling system, comprising:
- a food storage container with a plurality of walls, each wall defining an integrally-formed internal compartment with a top and a bottom, wherein the internal compartments project inwardly from the walls as open-top pockets are open at the top and closed at the bottom; and
- a plurality of reusable ice packs, where the ice packs are sized and shaped to fit into the compartments.
17. The food storage container cooling system of claim 16, further comprising a lid that is sized and shaped to seal to and close the container.
18. The food storage container cooling system of claim 17, wherein the lid is coupled and hinged to the container.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 31, 2017
Publication Date: Oct 26, 2017
Inventor: Pa Brown (Fitchburg, MA)
Application Number: 15/475,398