Food Spoilage Monitoring Device

Abstract

An activatable spoilage monitoring device (2) is incorporated into a lid for a container. The device comprises a reservoir for containing digestive fluid and a tray (62) for containing digestible material or gel, the tray having a tactile pattern of protrusions (68) formed on the bottom of the tray. The two parts (4, 6) of the lid are axially pressed together when the lid is opened, thereby activating the device by allowing fluid to contact the digestible material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of monitoring the shelf life of food, especially beverages and other bottled products.

[0002] Prior art

[0003] US 9915638 (PAKSTAITE) of March 13, 2018 describes a method for monitoring food spoilage that provides a monitoring device in the form of a label that provides a tactile response indicating food spoilage when a layer of material above an uneven or ridged surface liquefies. Synchronizing the phase change of the material with the spoilage rate of the packaged food can be a more effective indicator of food quality than traditional shelf life markings. This is because the label and the food are subject to the same environmental conditions during transportation and storage.

[0004] Technical issues

[0005] However, there are some products that only start the spoilage or corruption process once the packaging has been opened. In some products, opening accelerates the spoilage or corruption process. Monitoring this therefore presents a technical problem, as the tag must then be activated and only after activation can the same conditions as the product be replicated. Providing activation upon opening the packaging therefore presents a technical problem.

[0006] When a tactile sensing device is used, the device must be supported on the package so that it can be easily felt without being disturbed by other responses generated by the package. Therefore, there are technical problems in providing support for the device.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the invention

[0008] The invention is defined in the appended claims.

[0009] Many beverages and foods are packaged in bottles that use standard screw caps or flap closures, and embodiments of the present invention are designed to be incorporated into such caps. Preferably, the device is activated using the same motion necessary to open the container cap. The device can be supported within the cap, which typically already has a sufficiently rigid lower surface. This facilitates the reliability and use of the tactile monitoring device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] In order that the present invention may be better understood, some embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011] Figure 1 shows a cross section of a cover comprising an activatable spoilage monitoring device in a pre-activation state according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The cross section of the lid after activation;

[0013] Figure 3 To show that it contains Figure 1 and Figure 2 an exploded view of the component parts of the cover of the device;

[0014] Figure 4 shows a cross section of a cover comprising an activatable spoilage monitoring device in a pre-activation state according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 5 for Figure 4 The cross section of the lid after activation;

[0016] Figure 6 To show that it contains Figure 4 and Figure 5 an exploded view of the component parts of the cover of the device;

[0017] Figure 7 A side view of the cover of the first or second embodiment before activation;

[0018] Figure 8 For along Figure 7 The AA line in Figure 4 The cross section shown is a cross section at right angles, showing the internal structure of the second embodiment of the present invention and the locked relative positions of the various parts of the cover before activation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The activatable food spoilage monitoring device 2 is mounted in the second part 4 of a two-part lid 6. The lid 6 can be of any standard size, whether for fitting to a glass or plastic bottle or jar or any other packaging container having a threaded neck. The lower part 8 of the lid 6 has an annular wall member 12 having an internal thread 10 which engages with the threaded neck in a conventional manner. The annular wall member is closed at its upper surface by a recessed top plate 14. The top plate 14 has a circular recess 16 which engages with a correspondingly shaped circular protrusion 18 in the upper part. The planar profiles of the recess and protrusion can take any suitable shape, provided that they match and interlock and allow at least limited relative rotation of the recess and protrusion. As shown in this first embodiment, the recess has a circular rib 20 which supports the bottom wall of the protrusion 18 containing the spoilage monitoring device 2. On the outer side of the wall member 12, an oppositely arranged elongated L-shaped groove 24 is formed. The groove 24 is preferably as shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown in Figure 3The shape can be understood. Each groove is designed to cooperate with an inwardly protruding wedge 26 formed on the inner wall surface of the upper part of the cover. The groove has an entrance portion 30 extending from a midpoint in the wall to the top plate. The entrance portion merges with a downwardly inclined track 32 so that when the upper part is rotated relative to the lower part, the two parts are pressed together to form a Figure 2 The configuration shown in . It will be appreciated that for larger diameter caps, more than two guide grooves may be used. Alternative guide systems that function in a similar manner may also be employed.

[0020] The second portion 4 of the cover 6 is a cup-shaped member having an annular wall 28 and a top plate 34. The top plate includes a circular protrusion 18 defining a recessed cavity 38 therein in which the monitoring device 2 can be received. The cavity has a bottom 40 having a flexible central portion surrounded by a flexible, peripheral, downwardly sloping annular wall portion 42. Figure 1 It can be seen that when the device is in the pre-activated state, the central part of the bottom 40 is supported on the ribs 20 of the recess 16 in the lower part. Due to the flexibility of the annular wall portion 42, the bottom 40 can be inverted or "popped up" to activate the device when the two cover parts are rotated relative to each other. In this first embodiment, the annular wall portion 42 is made of a thin material that is skived so that the bottom can be pushed flat against the bottom of the device 2.

[0021] The annular wall 28 is provided with two oppositely disposed wedges 26, which are located in the lower recess 24. The wedges 26 are Figure 1 Visible in. Figure 2 The upper part has been rotated relative to the lower part, forcing the upper part downward into Figure 2 During this rotation, the center section of the bottom will be forced to pop out to Figure 2 Configuration shown.

[0022] The cavity 38 houses the spoilage monitoring device 2. The device includes a reservoir defined within the bottom of the cavity 38. The reservoir contains a digestive fluid or liquid. An insert tray 62 is located above the reservoir cavity, the bottom of which is provided with a tactile pattern of protrusions (such as a series of ridges or protrusions or ridges 68). The tray contains a layer 64 of digestible material (e.g., gelatin, gel, hydrocolloid or hydrogel). The term gel will be used as a general term for this layer of material. The gel may contain other chemicals to mitigate the spoilage process of it becoming a liquid. The choice of digestive fluid and digestible material depends on the contents of the product package within the container sealed by the lid. A flexible membrane 66 seals the device 2 within the cavity 38.

[0023] The bottom of the tray 62 has a central channel 82 which, in the pre-activated state, is sealed by a dumbbell-shaped rubber valve 90 which is pushed into place and fits into the channel before the digestible gel layer is introduced. The valve 90 has a portion 92 which remains below the channel and a sealing portion 94 which remains above the channel. When the bottom 40 of the chamber 38 contacts the lower portion 92 of the valve, it pushes the upper sealing portion 94 away from the channel 82, opening the valve to allow digestive liquid to flow through the channel.

[0024] Layer 64 has on its lower surface a thin layer of material or cloth 84. This cloth can be made of paper or sponge or any other absorbent material capable of absorbing digestive fluids so as to disperse them when entering the tray after activation.

[0025] In this embodiment, it is necessary to fit the sides of the tray tightly with the upper portion of the lid so that digestive fluid can only pass through the valve seal channel. This tight fit can be achieved by adding snap-fit ​​grooves 100 around the upper outer wall of the tray. Inwardly protruding tips 102 are provided around the upper periphery of the cavity to engage with the grooves 100 to seal the device 2 into the cavity 38 in such a way that any digestive fluid in the reservoir cannot escape.

[0026] In operation, when the lid is unscrewed in a normal manner around an axis that is vertical in normal use, the first part of the rotation will cause the two parts of the lid to be pressed together axially, reducing the spacing between the two parts. As a result, the pressure from the bottom 40 on the lower part of the valve opens the valve 90, allowing the digestive fluid to be squeezed upwards and reach the bottom of the tray below the gel through the passage 82. The valve 90 can be made of various designs. It can be opened mechanically by pushing the flexible bottom as described above, or by the increased pressure generated under the tray when the flexible bottom is pushed upwards during activation. Once the digestive fluid enters the tray, the thin cloth 84 absorbs the liquid rapidly so that the liquid is dispersed on the entire bottom surface of the gel. The gel then absorbs the digestive fluid from the cloth. The cloth ensures the uniform distribution of the digestive fluid on the surface of the gel and prevents the digestive fluid from flowing back under the tray when the flexible bottom 40 expands again.

[0027] Further rotation of the lid will open the container in the conventional manner, allowing access to the contents and resealing the container by replacing the lid. The activation process cannot be reversed. The activation process by rotation of the parts is a one-way operation and irreversible chemical activation occurs by the entry of digestive fluids into the tray. It is desirable to be able to lock the activation state. This can be achieved by shaping the end of the groove 24 to capture the wedge and prevent its backward movement, such as Figure 3As shown. Activation can also be ensured by the interlock created by the ejection process of the bottom 40. Other methods of achieving activation can be used. Irreversible mechanical activation may be desirable because reversal can cause the fluid to lose contact with the gel, producing unreliable results. In other arrangements where the absorption of the fluid into the gel is sufficient to ensure irreversible activation (i.e., the chemical reaction is permanent), the rotation mechanism can be made reversible to neutralize the positive pressure in the lid created by the initial activation compression. This makes it easier to feel the protrusion after liquefaction because it is less swollen. Therefore, the physical mechanism can be reversible; but the activation chemical reaction between the activator and the gel is irreversible.

[0028] Over time, the digestive fluid is absorbed by the gel and begins a temperature-dependent spoilage process that eventually forces the gel to liquefy. When the gel liquefies, a user touching the membrane 66 will be able to feel the tactile pattern molded into the bottom of the tray. When the gel is solid and the contents of the container are still fresh, the user will feel a smooth surface. Thus, the device 2 allows the user to detect when the spoilage process has progressed far enough to cause the gel to liquefy. By appropriately selecting the gel and digestive fluid, the spoilage process in the gel can be made to mimic the expected freshness of the contents of the container.

[0029] The membrane 66 is sealed to the upper part of the lid. Ultrasonic welding can be used. Other methods of forming a seal through a sponge can be used. The two parts of the lid can be injection molded plastics. Other forms of manufacturing methods can be used, such as vacuum casting. The overall height of the lid can match the overall height of a conventional lid, so that this type of lid can be simply used in the packaging process to similarly replace a conventional screw cap or lid.

[0030] Preferably, the outer side of the wall of the second part 4 is as Figure 7 Shown is knurled to facilitate gripping the part to initiate rotation.

[0031] Second embodiment

[0032] The second embodiment Figures 4 to 8 , and like parts are indicated by like reference numerals. The general principles of the second embodiment are as previously described. In this embodiment, the digestive fluid is contained in a sponge 60 that fills the cavity 38. The sponge may be made of cellulose or other suitable absorbent material. The type of material used needs to be able to store the required amount of digestive fluid and expel substantially all of it when compressed. Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, two concentric ribs 20 support the bottom 40 of the reservoir in order to generate a greater force on the sponge 60.

[0033] When the device is activated, the side walls of the reservoir pop out to Figure 5The inverted position shown is used to apply uniform pressure to the sponge and cause the digestive fluid to flow around and over the edge of the tray and onto layer 64. The inverted flexible bottom 40 forces the digestive fluid out of the sponge, around and over the sides of the tray and onto the top of the gel layer, as shown. Figure 5 , where the digestion fluid is shown as a layer 70 on top of the gel.

[0034] The tray 62 may also have perforations on its bottom to allow the digestive fluids expressed from the sponge to enter.

[0035] It will be appreciated that this embodiment with the sponge in the reservoir may be combined with the first embodiment wherein the bottom of the tray is provided with a valve sealed channel as in the first embodiment to deliver digestive fluid to the cloth bottom of the tray when activated.

[0036] The operation method of the second embodiment is as described above.

Claims

1. A lid for closing a container, the lid accommodating a tactile spoilage monitoring device (2), the device comprising a reservoir for accommodating digestive fluid and a tray (62) for accommodating a digestible material (64), a tactile pattern being formed on the bottom of the tray and the tray being covered by the digestible material; wherein the lid comprises two parts movable relative to each other: a first part (8) having a recess (16) adapted to receive a protrusion (18) of a second part (4), the protrusion defining a cavity (38) in which the tactile spoilage monitoring device (2) is accommodated, and wherein, Relative rotation of the first portion with respect to the second portion causes axial movement of the first portion (8) with respect to the second portion (4), resulting in irreversible activation of the device, causing the digestive fluid to be absorbed by the digestible material, liquefying it over a period of time, after which the user can feel the tactile pattern; wherein the two parts rotate relative to each other so as to axially reduce the spacing therebetween, forcing the digestive fluid to flow out of the reservoir; The device includes a reservoir defined within a bottom portion of a cavity (38), with a tray (62) positioned above the reservoir cavity.

2. The cover according to claim 1, wherein: The bottom of the tray defines a channel (82) which is sealed by a valve (90) which opens when the device is activated.

3. The cover according to claim 1, wherein: The tray seals into the cavity to prevent digestive fluids from escaping the reservoir.

4. The cover according to claim 3, wherein: The seal is created by a snap fit between the projection and the device.

5. The cover according to claim 1, wherein: The reservoir comprises a sponge (60).

6. The cover according to claim 5, wherein: The bottom (40) of the protrusion is made of a flexible material, and has a central portion for supporting the sponge and a peripheral inclined wall portion (42) which is inclined downward in a pre-activated state and inclined upward in an activated state to compress the sponge.

7. The cover according to claim 1, wherein: A thin layer (84) of absorbent material is disposed beneath the digestible material to distribute digestive fluids over the surface of the digestible material.

8. The cover according to claim 1, wherein: The axial movement of the first part (8) relative to the second part (4) is reversible.

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