EP0756565B1 - Transport system - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a transport system with a container (1) made of heat-insulating plastic and used to transport at least one food tray (11), having a top part (18, 118, 318, 718) and a bottom part (2, 202, 302) to hold the food tray (11), wherein at least one food tray (11) has one or more compartments (13) separated by webs (14) and the compartments (13) and side walls (16) of the food tray (11) are given rims (12) such that the compartments (13) can be sealed off from one another by a sealing device which has at least one sealing element that is disposed on the inside of the top part (18, 118, 318, 718) and that presses onto the webs (14).

Description

The invention relates to a transport system for transport at least one food carrier with the characteristics of The preamble of claim 1.

Such a transport system is known from DE 94 02 662 U known. However, no precautions are taken there to reliably seal individual compartments from one another in order to Transfer of food from one compartment to another reliably prevent.

The object of the present invention is therefore a Transport system in the preamble of the claim the kind mentioned so that it is easy and is inexpensive to manufacture and the compartments are reliable be sealed against each other.

The solution to the problem is a transport system with the features of claim 1.

The measure on the inside of the top of the Providing a pressure element for the transport container leads to reliable sealing of the compartments of the food carrier against each other. The transport container with the food carrier can be transported without any problems must fear that the food will run into one another. Top and The lower part of the transport container is in one piece Plastic parts can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

In addition, such a transport system can not only for Transport of hot food, but also for transport frozen foods can be used.

Advantageous further developments result from the Dependent claims.

It is particularly advantageous to design the inner cover provided according to claim 1 so that it with pressure surfaces, pressure bars or pressure points is pressed onto the webs of the compartments. Advantageously are the pressure elements corrugated or ribbed and in Cross section either rectangular or conical or wavy. With this one can namely bumps of the Compensate for the food carrier, as is particularly the case with Porcelain dining trays occur due to production. Flat pressure elements only press on the highest point of the food carrier, while corrugated or ribbed pressure elements due to their material-specific Elasticity of the insulating material pressure points in can form different heights. It is also advantageous when taking hot dishes to provide a heat storage element, so that the Food can be kept warm even more reliably.

Such a heat storage element is heated in inserted the depression and returns the one stored in it Gradually heat off to its surroundings. Because this environment with the exception of the food carrier made of insulating material there is almost all of the heat in the food carrier and the food inside. In this way the food is kept warm for a long time. This is particularly advantageous if the delivery, e.g. of Ready meals, over longer distances.

The depression is advantageously dimensioned such that the heat-storing element with the top edge of the side walls of the deepening. The heat-storing element then corresponds approximately in its area to the area of the Bottom of the food carrier. That guarantees one reliable heat transfer. If the lower part is sloping Has webs in which the food carrier is fixed in position is included, it is particularly advantageous that the Recess connects to these oblique webs, so that a Paragraph is created that frames the recess.

The heat storage element is advantageously a Hot plate, e.g. is also used in restaurants, to keep warm dishes served on plates. The hot plate should be 10 to 12mm thick and preferably consist of steel, aluminum or ceramic. she can also consist of a composite material, e.g. out a heat-storing core and a coating is composed.

Figur 1A

in perspektivischer Ansicht das Unterteil eines Transportbehälters für das erfindungsgemäße Transportsystem;

Figur 1B

ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel des in Figur 1A gezeigten Unterteils;

Figur 2A

einen Speiseträger für das erfindungsgemäße Transportsystem;

Figur 2B

einen weiteren Speiseträger;

Figur 3

ein Oberteil eines Transportbehälters für das erfindungsgemäße Transportsystem mit einer ersten Ausführungsart der Abdichtung;

Figur 4

einen Innendeckel eines Speiseträger nach Figur 2 für die Abdichtung nach Figur 3;

Figur 5

einen Schnitt durch einen Speiseträger mit aufgesetztem Innendeckel;

Figur 6

einen Schnitt durch das zusammengesetzte Transportsystem;

Figur 7A

den geschlossenen Transportbehälter;

Figur 7B

den Transportbehälter beim Öffnen durch eine Person;

Figur 8

ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel eines Oberteils eines Transportbehälters für eine Abdichtung gemäß Figur 3 und 4;

Figuren 9a, 9b

die Draufsicht auf ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Unterteils bzw. Oberteils eines Transportbehälters für eine Abdichtung nach Figur 3 und 4;

Figur 10A

die Ansicht eines Bügels zum Zusammenhalten von Ober- und Unterteil;

Figur 10B

eine Seitenansicht des Bügels;

Figur 11

eine Ansicht einer nicht von Anspruch 1 umfassten Ausführungsform, bei der Ober- bzw. Unterteil von einen Bügel zusammengehalten sind;

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Figure 1A

in a perspective view the lower part of a transport container for the transport system according to the invention;

Figure 1B

another embodiment of the lower part shown in Figure 1A;

Figure 2A

a food carrier for the transport system according to the invention;

Figure 2B

another dining medium;

Figure 3

an upper part of a transport container for the transport system according to the invention with a first embodiment of the seal;

Figure 4

an inner cover of a food support according to Figure 2 for the seal of Figure 3;

Figure 5

a section through a food carrier with attached inner lid;

Figure 6

a section through the composite transport system;

Figure 7A

the closed transport container;

Figure 7B

the transport container when opened by a person;

Figure 8

a further embodiment of an upper part of a transport container for a seal according to Figures 3 and 4;

Figures 9a, 9b

the top view of a third embodiment of a lower part or upper part of a transport container for a seal according to Figures 3 and 4;

Figure 10A

the view of a bracket to hold the top and bottom part together;

Figure 10B

a side view of the bracket;

Figure 11

a view of an embodiment not covered by claim 1, in which the upper and lower parts are held together by a bracket;

Figures 1 to 3 show an embodiment of a Transport container 1 of the transport system according to the invention, consisting of lower part 2, upper part 18 and the in between food carrier 11.

The lower part 2 and the upper part 18 are designed such that they include the food support 11. Upper part 18 and lower part 2 are made of plastic so that they provide thermal insulation result and that by transport container 1 and Food carrier 11 formed transport system for transport and suitable for storing warm dishes.

The upper part 18 and the lower part 2 can, as from FIG. 7 to be seen to be nested. This is served on Upper part 18 arranged on the outside circumferential groove 21 and a spring engaging therein on the lower part 2 (= Bar) 5. This tongue and groove connection should be so tight be trained to ensure that at the same time that Upper part 18 sits firmly on the lower part 2 and at Clamping is generated. this will favors if the groove 21 and / or the tongue 5 slightly is undercut; see. Figure 6. The tongue and groove connection joins the lower part 2 or the upper part 18 horizontal surfaces 4, 20 which abut each other and Form abutting surfaces.

The lower part 2 shown in Figure 1A Transport container 1 for the invention Transport system is dimensioned so that there is exactly one Food carrier 11 (see FIG. 2) can accommodate. It exists made of a heat-insulating plastic, e.g. out temperature-resistant expandable polypropylene and so is thick that reliable thermal insulation is effected in in this case about 2 to 3 cm. On the one mentioned above Surface 4 of the side walls 3 forming the abutting surface sits the surrounding bar or spring 5. On all four Inner surfaces 6 of the side walls 3 are inserts 7. Their size is such that the food carrier 11 for the Food is kept jammed between them. In the of the Inner surfaces 6 formed corners are cutouts 8 provided so that the used food carrier 11th can easily grasp and remove or insert. On two opposite side walls 3 of the Lower part 2 are 9 further recesses on the outer surface 10 attached, with the help of the attached top 18 (see FIG. 3) can be gripped and removed more easily.

The food carrier provided in this embodiment 11 is shown in Figure 2A. This is a porcelain plate with a rim 12 and three asymmetrically arranged compartments delimited by webs 14 13. The food carrier 11 is relatively thin and therefore light and material saving. The relatively small mass of the Porcelain plates also ensure that the heated Little heat is removed from food when it is poured. On its side walls 16 it has a stacking edge 17. On in this way, several food carriers 11 one above the other can be stacked without slipping. The webs 14 have a smooth top 15.

It goes without saying that this form of the food carrier 11 is not the only possible one. Round food carriers 11 with compartments 13 are also conceivable (cf. FIG. 2B), and the webs 14, which separate the compartments 13 from one another, can also be curved, for example. Instead of a stacking edge 17, the edge 12 of the food support 11 can be made somewhat thicker and the compartments 13 can be conical. When the food carriers 11 are stacked, the compartments 13 then slide into one another, so that the edge 12 acts as a stacking edge. The edge 12 can also be provided with handles. The shape of the lower part 2 of course corresponds essentially to the shape of the associated food carrier 11. The variations in the contour of the food carrier 11 are compensated for by the inserts 7 (see FIG. 6), so that the lower part 2 for transporting different food carriers 11 the same basic shape (round, square, square, oval etc.) is suitable.
A further exemplary embodiment of a lower part 202 is shown in FIG. 1A. Here too, structural elements that have remained unchanged are provided with unchanged reference symbols. The bottom of this lower part has a recess 211 which extends as far as the inserts 7. In this way, on the one hand, a circumferential shoulder 212 is formed, on which the inserts 7 are seated, and on the other hand, side walls 213 with upper edges 214 which end with the inserts 7. A heat-storing element (not shown here), for example a hot plate, can be inserted into the recess 211. The height of the side walls 213 corresponds approximately to the thickness of this heat-storing element, so that the side of this heat-storing element facing the food support 11 is at the same height with the circumferential shoulder 212. The area of the heat-storing element corresponds approximately to the area of the underside of the food support 11. This ensures reliable heat transfer, especially if the underside of the food support 11 forms a smooth surface. A relatively thin food support 11 then also causes the heat emanating from the heat-storing element to be predominantly transferred to the food in the compartments 13 and not only to the food support 11.

An example of a suitable heat storage element is a hot plate made of a material that stores heat and can slowly release it to its surroundings. Are suitable Steel, aluminum or ceramic. It is also possible that the Hot plate a core made of heat-storing material has a thin coating that is not itself Can insulate heat, e.g. Plastic, is provided.

The upper part 18 of the transport container 1 for a The transport system according to the invention is shown in FIG. 3 shown. It forms the counterpart to the lower part 2, consequently has the same dimensions and consists of the same material. The the abutting surface mentioned above forming surface 20 of side walls 19 has a groove 21 on, when placing the upper part 18 on the lower part 2 engages the circumferential bar 5, so that the mentioned Tongue and groove connection is created, which ensures that the Upper part 18 sits firmly on the lower part 2 and at Clamping is generated. The surface 20 has a recess 22 in the as a pressing element a pressing surface 23 is arranged.

In this embodiment, the pressing surface 23 has one smooth surface. But it is also possible and advantageous to provide the surface corrugated or ribbed, the Ribs can have different cross sections, e.g. rectangular or conical. The latter is useful because there are no sharp edges in which Can set impurities.

A preferred embodiment of a sealing system according to the invention described. The Food carrier 11 from one shown in Figure 4 Inner cover 25 made of dishwasher-safe, sealed microwave-safe plastic. The Inner cover 25 is a snap cover with a Undercut 26 formed the edge 12 of the Grips food carrier 11 so that the inner cover 25th is held clamped (see FIG. 5). The undercut 26 has a peripheral edge 27 on its outer edge, with which you can take the inner cover 25 and from Food carrier 11 can decrease. Closes on the other edge the outer wall 29 of a peripheral surface 28. The Inner wall 30 of the peripheral surface 28 encloses one Cover 31, the compartments 13 of the food carrier 11th covers. FIG. 5 clearly shows how the Undercut 26 on the edge 12 of the food support 11 den Inner cover 25 holds clamped and like the cover 31 the tops 15 of the webs 14 of the compartments 13 rests.

In Figure 6 it is shown how the complete Transport system 1 looks and how the sealing of the Tray 13 of the food support 11 is effected. The Food carrier 11 is inserted into the lower part 2 and from Inner cover 25 and upper part 18 closed. You can also see that the lower part 2 has a stacking edge 2 'at its bottom has, which with a recess 18 'at the top of the Upper part 18 corresponds. This way Stack several transport containers 1 on top of one another without closing slip. The side wall 16 of the lower part 2 used food carrier 11 is on the inserts 7 of the Lower part 2. So you can the lower parts 2 in produce uniform size and at the same time with the Production of the food carrier 11 not only variations in the Contour, but also allow relatively large tolerances what e.g. in the case of dinner carriers 11 made of porcelain due to the material is inevitable. The food carrier 11 slips on the Inserts 7 along into the lower part 2 until it is held clamped by the inserts 7. On the The food carrier 11 is the inner lid 25 and in turn thereon the upper part 18 placed so that the bar 5 in the groove 21 engages and grips a clamping hold. The Cover 31 of the inner cover 25 is when the Upper part 18 through the pressing surface 23 on the upper side 15 the webs 14 pressed so that the compartments 13 of the Carrier 11 are sealed against each other. A Pressure surface with a corrugated or ribbed surface can doing with the tops 15 of the webs 14 pressure points in training of different heights and thus production-related Compensate level differences of the webs 14.

As can be seen from Figures 7a and 7b, the upper part 18 on the front two recesses 32, 33 and that Lower part 2 on the side surfaces for two handle supports about 5mm deep recesses 34, 35. You are so arranged that one with the thumbs of both hands in one Recess 32, 33 on a front of the upper part 18 and with the index fingers in a recess 34, 35 each Grip the side surface of the lower part 2 and both parts 2, 18th thus easy and without slipping to open the Transport container 1 can push apart.

In Figure 8 is another embodiment of a Top 118 shown in plan view, wherein structural elements that have remained unchanged are the same Wear reference numbers as before. You can see that in the Recess 22 now no pressing surface 23, but Pressure bars 123 are provided, the course of which Course of the tops 15 of the webs 14 correspond to the Separate compartments 13 of the food support 11 from each other. Man also sees that the pressure bars 123 a two-fold Have symmetry about the axis of rotation D, i.e. when turning the Upper part 118 by 180 ° has the same pattern again yourself. So you can top 118 in any Place the orientation on the lower part 2 without fear to have that the webs 14 and the pressure bars 123 are not come to lie on top of each other.

FIGS. 9a and 9b show a third exemplary embodiment of a transport system according to the invention. The Transport container can accommodate several food carriers. The The bottom part 302 of the transport container looks in principle as already described above with the exception that one of the side walls 3 is a wide central web 335 connects to the other receptacles 336 for food carriers are arranged. The central web 335 has a recess 338, in which a wrapped in a napkin 340 Cutlery 339 fits into it. The recordings 335 are through Isolating webs 337 separated from each other. So everyone can Food carrier absorb food of different temperatures, e.g. Soup and salad or a dessert because of the shots 336 are thermally insulated from each other. These shots are 336 constructed in principle as already described for Figure 1. Each can accommodate exactly one food carrier. That too Lower part 302 of the transport system can be received heat-storing elements are provided (see FIG 1B).

In this embodiment, the circumferential Strip 5 on the surface 4 of the side walls 3. You can but also surrounding strips and corresponding grooves in the Upper part on the middle web 335 and the insulating webs 337 provide.

The upper part 318 is in principle like the upper part 18 built up and corresponds in its dimensions to that of Lower part 302. Since the additional food carriers in Exemplary embodiment as round bowls without compartments are provided, a pressure point is sufficient as a pressure element 333. As a counterpart to the recess 338 for the cutlery 339 an insert 334 is provided on the surface 20.

The operation of this embodiment is the same as shown in Figure 6.

Figures 10A, 10B and 11 show an alternative to that described tongue and groove connection of upper part 18 and Lower part 2, is. It is one Bracket 40, the upper part 18 and lower part 2 together, and thus also for a suitable contact pressure Pressure surface 23 421 ensures. The bracket 40 is in two parts, formed by a rectangular Holding section 41 and an L-shaped clamping section 42, the latter made of spring steel. The holding section 41 surrounds one correspondingly shaped holding projection 43 on the lower part 2. The clamping section 42 hinged to the holding section 41 at 43 overlaps the upper part 18 due to its L-shape and presses it to the lower part 2. The clamping section is in slots 44 in the upper part 18.

Claims (13)

1. Transportation system with a transportation container (1) and at least one meal tray (11), in which the transportation container for transporting the meal tray consists of heat-insulating synthetic, and has a lower part (2, 202, 302) to accommodate the meal tray, and also has an upper part (18, 118, 318); and in which the meal tray (11) is covered by an inner lid (25) whose edge (26) encompasses the edge (12) of the meal tray (11) in a clasping manner; and in which the meal tray also has compartments (13) which are separated from one another by means of partition ridges (14),
   characterized in that
   a pressing element (23, 123, 333) formed in the surface (20) of the upper part (18, 118, 318) within a recess (22) presses a covering (31) of the inner lid (25), located within the edge (27) of the inner lid, against the smooth upper face (15) of the partition ridges (14), by means of a releasable clamping of upper part and lower part.
2. Transportation system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the pressing element is a pressing surface (33), a pressing strip (133) or a pressing point (333).
3. Transportation system in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that the pressing element (33, 133, 333) has a corrugated or ribbed surface, with the ribs preferably having a rectangular, conical or wave-like cross-section.
4. Transportation system in accordance with one of the claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the pressing strips (133) are arranged symmetrical to the rotational axis (D) of the upper part (18) in such a way that even when the upper part (18) is rotated around 180°, a seal is achieved by the pressing strips (133) resting against the partition ridges (14) of asymmetrical compartments (13).
5. Transportation system in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the inner lid (25) has an undercut (26) which encompasses the edge (12) of the meal tray (11) in a clasping manner.
6. Transportation system in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the inner lid (25) comprises dishwasher-proof and/or microwave-safe synthetic.
7. Transportation system in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the clamping of the upper and lower parts of the transportation container is by means of a tongue-and-groove connection (4, 5) of the upper and lower parts.
8. Transportation system in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the upper and lower parts can be clamped together by means of a two-part clamp (40) which comprises a retaining section (41) and an L-shaped clasp section (42) which is hinged (43) on it, with the retaining section (41) being held by means of a retaining projection (44) on one of the two parts to be connected together, and the L-shaped clasp section (42) lapping over the other of the two parts, with the walls (16) of the meal tray (11) pressing with their edges (12) against the sealing device.
9. Transportation system in accordance with one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the upper and lower parts are made of temperature-resistant synthetic, preferably expandable polypropylene or expandable polyethylene.
10. Transportation system in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the lower part of the transportation container has a sunken recess (211) into which the heat-storing element can be placed.
11. Transportation system in accordance with claim 10, characterized in that the lower part has oblique fins (7) which sit on a raised step (213) which runs all round, and which frames the sunken recess (211).
12. Transportation system in accordance with one of the claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the heat-storing element is a hot-plate of steel, aluminium or ceramic with a thickness of around 10 to 12 mm.
13. Transportation system in accordance with one of the claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the hot-plate comprises a heat-storing core and a covering.

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