WO1993025128A1

WO1993025128A1 - Container for containment and preservation of heterogeneous foodstuff, in particular butter and the like

Info

Publication number: WO1993025128A1
Application number: PCT/IT1992/000136
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luigi Fraticelli
Original assignee: Luigi Fraticelli
Priority date: 1992-06-16
Filing date: 1992-11-02
Publication date: 1993-12-23
Also published as: ITBO920130V0; AU2955492A; IT227887Y1; ITBO920130U1

Abstract

A vessel (1), open at the top, is closed by a cover (2) resting on the upper head of the vessel, and provided with an axially downwards protruding hollow portion (3), designed to hold doughy foodstuff, e.g. butter. The hollow portion (3) has a section not superior to the internal section of the vessel (1) and a height inferior to the internal depth of the vessel (1) so that the inferior end of the same portion does not touch the free surface of a refrigerating liquid (5) put into the vessel (1).

Description

CONTAINER FOR CONTAINMENT AND PRESERVATION OF HETEROGENEOUS FOODSTUFF, IN PARTICULAR BUTTER AND THE LIKE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention forms part of the technical field that concerns the manufacture of containers for doughy foodstuff, e.g. butter.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known that butter is normally packed in portions of different dimensions and forms, wrapped in appropriate paper for foodstuff and usually it is preserved in refrigerator because it melts in ambient temperature.

After the package has been opened, the butter is usually preserved on a butter dish made of special synthetic material for foodstuff or of glass or porcelain or steel, etc.

The only task of such containers is to isolate the foodstuff from the external environment. Therefore, butter is served either directly on the butter dish, which sometimes is nice from aesthetic point of view, or on a suitable serving plate.

Nevertheless, in both cases the principal inconvenience lies in the fact that at room temperature the butter tends to change losing the solid look it has at low temperature, that is it tends to melt. The problem of such foodstuffs melting is more evident in hot countries.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to propose acontainer that can preserve, in ambient temperature, doughy foodstuffs of solid state avoiding their deterioration or change of any kind.

A further object of the present invention is to propose a container of a simple form and of a nice aesthetic look that can be used either in the kitchen or as a serving dish.

Still another object of the present invention is to propose a container easy to be used and such that the substance contained therein can be easily transported without changing its organoleptic and physical characteristics.

A further object of the present invention is to propose a container for containing and preserving heterogeneous foodstuff, in particular butter, easy to be made in any dimension and shape and with the use of various materials, the cheapest ones included.

The above mentioned objects are obtained in accordance with the claims, by a container for holding and preserving heterogeneous foodstuff, in particular butter and the like, that is constituted by a vessel 1, open at its top, and closed by a cover 2 resting on its upper head.

The cover 2 is provided in its lower part with an axially shaped hollow portion 3, thesection of which is not superior to the internal section of the vessel 1, while the height of the portion 3 is inferior to the internal depth of the vessel 1 in such a way that the inferior end of the portion does not touch the surface of a refrigerating mixture 5 put into the vessel 1.

The hollow portion 3 is designed to contain a doughy foodstuff 4.

The advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that it provides a container that can preserve in ambient temperature doughy foodstuff, e.g. butter, in solid state avoiding its changing or deterioration of any kind.

The preservation of the substance in the doughy state, as far as thermic exchange is concerned, is possible due to the fact that the container is characterized by a "space" optimally isolated from the outside (therefore, avoiding even minimum ventilation); the inevitable thermic exchange with the outside (that could raise the temperature of the substance) is somehow "compensated" (in a time of dozens of hours) by the relatively "cold" source constituted by the liquid or the mixture of water and ice or another similar substance compatible with the foodstuff.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the present invention are pointed out in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows a prospective, exploded view of the proposed accessory;

- fig. 2 shows a partially sectioned view of the cited invention;

- fig. 3 shows a partially sectioned view of a second embodiment of the accessory of the fig. 1.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to said figures, reference numeral 100 indicates the present container that can be made of glass, porcelain or plastic material for foodstuff or in any other material.

The container 100 is constituted by a vessel 1, of a cylindrical form, as illustrated in the drawings, open at the top and with a smooth internal wall.

The vessel 1 is designed to hold inside a determined quantity of refrigerating liquid or mixture 5, e.g. water and/or ice.

The vessel 1 is shaped in such a way that it can be closed by a cover 2 resting on its upper head and provided with an axial downwards protruding hollow portion 3,with the external wall smooth, that is designed to holdfoodstuff 4, e.g. butter.

The section of the hollow portion 3 is inferior to the internal section of the vessel 1 and its ...__^nt is inferior to the vessel internal depth so that the hollow portion lower end, when it is inserted inside the vessel 1, does not touch the surface of the liquid contained inside the vessel 1 (fig. 2).

In another embodiment, illustrated in the fig. 3, the external surface of the hollow portion 3 features ribs 6 designed to improve the closure between the external environment and the vessel 1, without sealing the internal space of the same vessel.

In fig. 2 the container 100 is shown inconfiguration "C", that is closed by cover 2 thas is resting on the upper head of the vessel 1 while the hollow portion 3 is wholly inserted in thed vessel 1.

In this way the foodstuff 4 held by the portion 3 does not contact the liquid 5 the presence of which contributes to optimum preservation of the substance 4.

In fig. 1 the container 100 is shown inconfiguration "A", that with the cover 2 removed and upturned. The shape of the upper portion 7 of the cover 2 is such that it allows the latter to rest firmly on a flat surface, in such a way that the foodstuff 4 can be easily drawn out of the hollow portion 3 by using known means.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The container described herein can preserve in ambient temperature doughy foodstuff, e.g. butter, in solid state avoiding its changing or deterioration of any kind.

This is possible because the container provides a space isolated from the outside ad a liquid or a mixture of water and ice contained therein.

The proposed container is of a simple shape and it looks nice and it can be used either in the kitchen or as a kitchen implement to be presented on the table.

The container allows to easily transport the contained substance without changing its organoleptic and physical characteristics and can be easily manufactured in any dimension and shape and with the use of various materials.

In fact, the container being the subject of the present invention, can be made either of particularly economic materials, such as glass, plastic material, baked clay, or of more precious materials, such as porcelain, crystal, possibly decorated with precious metals, such as silver, in order to satisfy the demands of more refined customers.

Moreover, as it results from the description, the proposed container is of simple use.

Claims

1. Container for containment and preservation of heterogeneous foodstuff, in particular butter and the

5 like, characterized in that it includes a vessel (1), open at the top, closed by a cover (2) provided with an axially downwards protruding hollow portion (3) having section not superior to the internal section of said vessel (1) and having height inferior to the

10 internal depth of said vessel (1) in such a way that the inferior end of the portion does not touch the surface of a refrigerating mixture (5) put into said vessel (1), said hollow portion (3) holding a doughy foodstuff (4) therein.

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2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in -that the external surface of said hollow portion (3) features at least one circular rib (6) .

20 3. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that said cover (2) is provided with a flat portion (7) so that it can rest firmly overturned on a flat surface.

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