Food delivery bag for delivering groceries

Abstract

Food delivery bag (14) for the delivery of food, comprising - a floor (25), - an insert (6), - an induction heating disc (8), wherein the induction heating disc (8) is mounted in the insert (6), characterized by a protective plate (1), wherein the induction heating disc (8) is arranged on a bottom side (37) of the protective plate (1) and is mounted on the protective plate (1).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a food delivery bag for the delivery of food according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] The food delivery bag, designed for an induction heating system, is constructed as a bag with six outer walls to define an interior space. One of these outer walls is designed to be opened for filling the bag. The food delivery bag comprises a base, a tray, and an induction heating element, which is housed within the tray. The base is one of the six outer walls that comes into contact with a surface, such as the trunk floor, during transport. Thus, the base serves as the base for the food delivery bag. The tray consists of the interior space of the food delivery bag and a partition wall that defines this space. The interior space is bounded by the base on one side and the partition wall on the other. The partition wall divides the interior of the food delivery bag into a compartment for the food to be delivered and the tray itself. State of the art

[0003] Food delivery bags of the aforementioned type are already known from the prior art, for example from US patent 6,274,856 B1, and are typically used by food delivery services, such as pizza delivery services. The food delivery bag serves to keep food warm during transport, with the heat being emitted from the previously heated induction heating element. To heat the induction heating element before transport, the entire bag is placed on an induction hob, whereby, due to the induction technology, only the heating element is heated. This has the advantage that the heating element can always remain in the food delivery bag and does not have to be handled as a separate component, which would be particularly risky when the heating element is heated.The familiar food delivery bag has a base with an integrated plastic tray that ensures a predetermined distance from the induction heating element for proper operation of the induction technology. The plastic tray also gives the food delivery bag a more stable shape.

[0004] A common problem with popular food delivery bags is their unsatisfactory durability. Due to the weight of the induction heating element and the often careless handling of the bags during delivery, components of the insert can break after a few months, or the bag itself can become severely worn, in extreme cases developing holes in its outer layer. Given the relatively high price of these food delivery bags and the desire for greater sustainability, purchasing new, worn-out, or damaged bags is undesirable. Task

[0005] The object of the present invention is to improve a food delivery bag of the type mentioned above with regard to its robustness. Solution

[0006] This problem is solved according to the invention by means of a food delivery bag having the features of claim 1 and claim 15. Advantageous embodiments are described in dependent claims 2 to 14.

[0007] The food delivery bag according to the invention is characterized by a protective plate, wherein the induction heating element is arranged on and mounted to the underside of the protective plate. The underside of the protective plate is defined as the side of the protective plate facing the bottom of the food delivery bag. Starting from the base of the food delivery bag, the following structure results: base, induction heating element in its slot, protective plate. Accordingly, the protective plate is located on the side of the induction heating element facing away from the bottom. The protective plate provides the induction heating element with greater stability and protects it from external influences, thus reducing stress on the heating element during handling of the food delivery bag and counteracting wear and tear.Furthermore, the protective plate shields the partition – emanating from the induction heating element – ​​from excessive heat, thus preventing the risk of burn holes in the partition. This problem exists with conventional food delivery bags. Moreover, the food delivery bag according to the invention eliminates the need for a plastic tray known from the prior art. Since these known plastic trays have a short lifespan, at most three months, this elimination represents a significant economic advantage.

[0008] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the upper side of the protective plate is oriented towards the interior of the food delivery bag. Thus, the protective plate is located between the food to be kept warm and the induction heating element.

[0009] It is particularly advantageous if the surface area of ​​the protective plate significantly exceeds that of the induction heating element. Accordingly, the protective plate extends beyond the induction heating element on all sides, thus protecting the heating element from external influences, especially on its entire surface facing the protective plate and at all its edges. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the heating element is positioned centrally on the protective plate; in other words, if the center point of the heating element coincides with the center point of the protective plate. This is beneficial for optimized weight distribution. Because the protective plate extends beyond the heating element on all sides and thus has a larger surface area, the heat radiated by the heating element can be distributed over a larger area, depending on the material of the protective plate.This significantly increases heat transfer to the food being transported, ideally by 50%. Furthermore, the smaller surface area of ​​the induction heating plate is advantageous in terms of the weight of the food delivery bag, as a larger heating plate would be considerably heavier. A protective plate with a large surface area made of heat-conducting material, combined with a smaller induction heating plate, is characterized by optimized weight and optimal heating properties. Another major advantage of the food delivery bag according to the invention is that the interior is heated to 90 to 100 degrees Celsius when the induction heating plate is activated, thus killing any germs that may be present. This also prevents the spread of salmonella.

[0010] Furthermore, it is particularly advantageous if the protective plate is precisely matched to the insert in such a way that it fits perfectly within the insert. This prevents the protective plate—and thus also the induction heating element attached to the protective plate—from slipping within the insert. The protective plate remains stable and securely in place within the insert throughout all handling of the food delivery bag according to the invention, which also has the advantage that the induction heating element always remains in a predefined position. The protective plate, in turn, distributes the heat emitted by the induction heating element across its entire surface, so that the food being transported can lie on the entire base of the food delivery bag and be kept warm.A further advantage of the precisely fitting protective plate is that it creates a completely smooth and uneven surface for the food inside the food delivery bag. In conventional food delivery bags without the protective plate according to the invention, the surface for the food has a stepped edge along the circumference of the induction heating element, which in turn leads to negative wear and tear. In particular, when transporting pizza boxes, which are pushed into the interior along the surface, the pizza box regularly comes into contact with the aforementioned step in the food delivery bags known from the prior art, causing significant wear to the partition wall. The present invention counteracts this disadvantage.Another advantage of the protective plate is that it gives the food delivery bag a stable shape during transport, so that the food being transported stays in place and cannot tip over or slip due to a soft base.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the food delivery bag according to the invention, the protective plate is rectangular or circular, preferably – in the case of a rectangular protective plate – having dimensions in the range between 380 mm x 370 mm and 390 mm x 370 mm. Such a protective plate is adapted to standard dimensions of food delivery bags.

[0012] Further developing the aforementioned protective plate, it may be provided that the edges of the protective plate are rounded or chamfered. This significantly protects the corresponding areas of the food delivery bag that are in constant contact with the edges of the protective plate, which in turn leads to less stress and wear on the food delivery bag. In this regard, it can also be advantageous if the corners of the protective plate are rounded or chamfered.

[0013] It has proven particularly advantageous if the thickness of the protective plate is between 1 mm and 3 mm, preferably 1.5 mm, as this gives the protective plate good stability and durability.

[0014] In a further advantageous embodiment of the food delivery bag according to the invention, the protective plate is made of aluminum to ensure high stability, durability, and good thermal conductivity. Aluminum is a stable material that is particularly well-suited for protecting the induction heating element from external influences. Furthermore, due to its position between the induction heating element and the food being transported, the protective plate serves two purposes: firstly, to distribute the heat from the heating element over a larger area, and secondly, to transfer the heat to the food being kept warm. If the protective plate has dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the base, the food is kept warm across the entire base.In addition, the protective plate according to the invention has the effect of extending the total heat retention time by 5 to 10% in contrast to conventional food delivery bags, as it counteracts rapid cooling of the induction heating disc.

[0015] A particularly advantageous and durable way of attaching the protective plate and the induction heating disc is when the protective plate is connected to the induction heating disc by means of rivets, preferably blind rivets.

[0016] Another advantageous embodiment of the food delivery bag according to the invention provides that the induction heating disc is circular in shape, preferably having a diameter of 250 mm. Such induction heating discs are commercially available and therefore easy to obtain.

[0017] Regarding the induction warming plate, a thickness of 10 mm is particularly advantageous, as such a plate offers good and sufficient heat retention. Delivery times for delivery services can range from 45 to 60 minutes, ensuring that the food being delivered remains warm thanks to the aforementioned induction warming plate.

[0018] To further improve heat transfer, a further development of the food delivery bag according to the invention provides that a wall of the insert facing away from the interior is coated with an aluminum layer. This layer is designed and configured to reflect heat radiated from the induction heating element. In this way, the heat is not radiated towards the exterior of the food delivery bag, but remains within the bag or is radiated towards the food being kept warm. This also ensures that the induction heating element and the protective plate stay warm for a longer period. Furthermore, it can be advantageous for the aluminum coating to be applied to a fiberglass fabric, resulting in high tear resistance.

[0019] Furthermore, it is particularly advantageous if the base is made of fiberglass fabric. Fiberglass fabric is characterized by its very high strength, which gives the base of the food delivery bag exceptional robustness and durability. Regarding the rest of the bag – that is, outside the base – it can also be beneficial if it is breathable, preventing condensation from forming inside the food delivery bag. This is especially advantageous for the consistency of the delivered food, as it won't become soggy but will remain as freshly prepared as if it were freshly made.

[0020] According to a further embodiment of the food delivery bag according to the invention, the base has an insulating layer made of an insulating material, preferably with a thickness between 10 mm and 12 mm. This prevents the induction heating element from also radiating heat towards the base, which would result in some inefficient heat loss. Instead, the insulating layer ensures that the heat is transferred almost entirely to the interior of the food delivery bag, i.e., to the food to be kept warm. Furthermore, the insulating layer also serves as a spacer, maintaining a predefined distance between the induction heating element and the surface on which the food delivery bag is placed. This has the advantage that known induction heaters, with their preset settings, can quickly detect the induction heating element.

[0021] Alternatively, the insulating layer can also be applied to the entire body of the bag, which, in addition to good insulation, also gives the food delivery bag good stability and shape. The insulating layer could, for example, be a breathable polyester fleece.

[0022] The aforementioned problem is further solved by a food delivery bag for delivering food, wherein the food delivery bag according to the invention comprises a bag body configured to enclose an interior space. The food delivery bag further comprises an induction heating element, the bag body having a base with a recess for receiving the induction heating element. The induction heating element is designed and configured to be inductively heated by means of a stationary heating system, so that the interior space can be heated and / or kept warm by means of the induction heating element. The food delivery bag according to the invention is characterized by a protective plate, wherein the induction heating element is arranged on and mounted to an underside of the protective plate.The advantages of this food delivery bag arise analogously from the foregoing regarding the food delivery bag according to claim 1. Examples of implementation

[0023] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the figures. These show: Fig. 1: A three-dimensional view of a food delivery bag according to the invention in an open position, Fig. 2: A vertical section through the food delivery bag made of Fig. 1, Fig. 3: A section through the outer walls of an insert of the food delivery bag made of Fig. 1, Fig. 4: A top view of a protective plate with induction heating disc of the food delivery bag made of Fig. 1, Fig. 5: A vertical section of the protective plate with induction heating disc made of Fig. 4, Fig. 6: A vertical section through the protective plate with induction heating disc made of Fig. 4 in the area of ​​a rivet, Fig. 7: A three-dimensional top view of the upper side of the protective plate made of Fig. 4, Fig. 8: A three-dimensional underside view of the underside of the protective plate with induction heating disc made of Fig. 4.

[0024] In the Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7 to Fig. Figure 8 shows a food delivery bag 14 according to the invention for delivering food, as well as its components. The food delivery bag 14, which is located in the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2, shown in an open position, has a bag body 15 with six outer walls 16 that define an interior space 17 of the food delivery bag 14. The interior space 17 serves to hold food items such as pizzas, pasta, burgers, fries, or similar items, which are typically delivered in boxes or other packaging. The transported food items are not shown in the figures.

[0025] In the Fig. Figure 1 clearly shows that one of the outer walls 16, namely a left side wall 18, is designed to be hinged, so that the food delivery bag 14 is in its open position after the left side wall 18 is unfolded. The left side wall 18 is designed to be long enough that, in a folded state, it is folded around an edge 19 of the outer wall 16, which corresponds to an upper side wall 20, and a section of it rests on an outer surface of the upper side wall 20. The left side wall 18 is releasably fixed in its closed position by means of a first part 21 of a hook-and-loop fastener 11, which is positioned on an inner surface of the left side wall 18, to a corresponding second part 22 of the hook-and-loop fastener 11, which is positioned on the outer surface of the upper side wall 20.The second part 22 of the hook-and-loop fastener 11 is significantly larger than the first part 21 of the hook-and-loop fastener 11 in order to be able to close the food delivery bag 14 under different filling conditions and to prevent the first part 21, which is designed as the hook part of the hook-and-loop fastener 11, from coming into contact with the surface of the food delivery bag 14 and damaging it. The second part 22 is designed as a loop part.

[0026] Furthermore, the food delivery bag has 14 handles 12 for gripping and transporting it. The food delivery bag also has 14 inserts 13 for improved heat retention, as well as an additional compartment 10 on the upper side wall 20 for transporting salads, sauces, or other foods that do not need to be kept warm.

[0027] The food delivery bag 14 according to the invention has a compartment 6, which consists of a free space 23 and a partition 24. Accordingly, the free space 23 is bounded on one side by the outer wall 16, which forms a base 25 of the food delivery bag 14, and on the other side by the partition 24. The partition 24 separates the free space 23 from the interior 17 of the food delivery bag 14. An induction heating disc 8 is located within the compartment 6, which is fixed to a protective plate 1 by means of four rivets 9. Of course, it is also possible to fix the disc using more than four rivets 9, such as eight rivets 9. Fig. Figure 1 shows the induction heating disc 8 with its protective plate 1 in a position where it is still outside the slot 6. Two arrows 26 indicate that the induction heating disc 8 with its protective plate 1 is being pushed into the slot 6. The induction heating disc 8 is in the Fig. The induction heating disc 8 is shown with a dashed line because it is located on the underside 37 of the protective plate 1, facing the floor 25, and thus behind the protective plate 1. The induction heating disc 8 is round and has, for example, a diameter of 250 mm. It is clearly visible that the protective plate 1 has significantly larger dimensions and thus extends beyond the induction heating disc 8 on all sides. The dimensions of the protective plate 1 are chosen so that it can be precisely received by the insert 6, thus preventing the protective plate 1 and therefore the induction heating disc 8 from sliding back and forth. The corners of the protective plate 1 and its surrounding edges are rounded to avoid or minimize stress on the material of the outer walls 16 and the partition 24 of the food delivery bag 14.

[0028] Insert 6 can be attached to one in the Fig. The recognizable front side 27 shall be provided with a closure not shown in the figures, for example in the form of a zipper, a Velcro fastener or in the form of snap fasteners, to ensure that the induction heating disc 8 cannot slip out of the slot 6 when handling the food delivery bag 14.

[0029] In the Fig. Figure 2 shows the food delivery bag 14 according to the invention in a vertical section, which has a height 28 in the range of 220 mm to 270 mm, a width 29 of 445 mm and a length 30 of 400 mm. In its unfolded state, the length 31 of the base 25 with the unfolded outer wall 16 is a total of 760 mm to 780 mm.

[0030] The food delivery bag 14 according to the invention, according to the exemplary embodiment, has – except in the area of ​​the bottom 25 – a bag body 15 made of a breathable layer 7 of polyester, which is covered on the side facing away from the interior 17 by an insulating layer 3 made of breathable polyester fleece. An outer layer 2 can be formed from a breathable polyester. Because the wall structure is breathable, no condensation forms in the food delivery bag 14. This is particularly advantageous with regard to the consistency of the food being delivered, as it remains as if freshly prepared. In conventional bags, condensation can form inside, causing, for example, fries, pizzas, or other foods to lose their fresh consistency and become soggy or mushy. This is not the case with the present food delivery bag according to the invention due to its breathable design.

[0031] The layer structure of the food delivery bag according to the invention in the area of ​​the base 25 is described in the Fig. Figure 3 is shown enlarged, with the layer sequence from outside to inside, i.e., from left to right, as follows: An outer layer 2 consists of a breathable polyester, and the insulation layer 3 consists of a breathable polyester fleece with a thickness of 10 mm. The insulation layer 3 is followed by a fiberglass fabric 5, which has an aluminum coating 4 on one side facing the interior 17. Accordingly, a wall of the insert 6 facing away from the interior 17, namely the base 25, is provided with an aluminum coating 4 on one side facing the insert 6, so that heat radiated by the induction heating disc 8 is reflected by the wall and remains inside the food delivery bag 14. The induction heating disc 8, which is attached to the underside 37 of the protective plate 1, is located between the partition 24 and the layered structure of the base 25, i.e., in the insert 6.A top surface 38 of the protective plate 1 faces the interior 17 of the food delivery bag 14. The partition 24 is made of heat-resistant polyester.

[0032] The Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7 to Fig. Figure 8 shows the induction heating disc 8 and the protective plate 1, clearly showing that the induction heating disc 8 is attached to the protective plate 1 with at least four rivets 9. The protective plate 1 is rectangular and has a width 32 of 380 mm, a length 33 of 370 mm, and a thickness 34 of 1.5 mm. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the protective plate 1 is made of aluminum, providing both good strength and durability as well as good thermal conductivity. The good thermal conductivity is advantageous because the heat emitted by the induction heating disc is thus distributed across the entire protective plate and, in turn, transferred via the protective plate 1 to the food being kept warm. However, other materials are also conceivable for the protective plate 1.

[0033] The induction heating disc 8 has a diameter of 35 x 250 mm and a thickness of 36 x 10 mm. The corners of the protective plate 1 are in the Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7 to Fig. 8 shown beveled, as a variant of the one in the Fig. 1. Rounding of the corners as shown. In the Fig. Figure 6 shows a section of the induction heating disc 8 with the protective plate 1, in which the rivets 9 are located. It can be seen that these are blind rivets that are recessed into the induction heating disc 8 and do not protrude from any surface of the induction heating disc 8. Fig. Figure 7, which shows a three-dimensional view of a top surface 38 of the protective plate 1, shows the rivets 9. In the Fig.Figure 8, which shows a three-dimensional view of the underside 37 of the protective plate 1, also shows the induction heating disc 8 located on the underside 37. When the protective plate 1 is inserted into the slot 6 of the food delivery bag 14, the underside 37 of the protective plate 1 faces the floor 25 and the top side 38 of the protective plate 1 faces the partition 24. Reference symbol list 1 protective plate 2 Outer layer 3 Insulation layer 4 Aluminum coating 5 fiberglass fabrics 6 Insert 7 breathable layers 8 induction heating discs 9 rivets 10 times 11 Velcro fastener 12 handle 13 Additional deployments 14 food delivery bags 15 bag bodies 16 Exterior wall 17 Interior 18 Left side wall 19 edge 20 Upper side wall 21 Part One 22 Part Two 23 Free space 24 partition wall 25 floor 26 Arrow 27 Front 28 Height 29 width 30 Length 31 Length 32 width 33 Length 34 Thick protective plate 35 diameter 36 Thick induction heating disc 37 Underside protective plate 38 Top side protective plate QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 6,274,856 B1

[0003]

Claims

[1] Food delivery bag (14) for the delivery of food, comprising - a floor (25), - an insert (6), - an induction heating disc (8), wherein the induction heating disc (8) is mounted in the insert (6), characterized by a protective plate (1), wherein the induction heating disc (8) is arranged on a bottom side (37) of the protective plate (1) and is mounted on the protective plate (1). [2] Food delivery bag (14) according to claim 1, characterized by , that a top surface (38) of the protective plate (1) is oriented towards an interior (17) of the food delivery bag (14). [3] Food delivery bag (14) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the area of ​​the protective plate (1) significantly exceeds the area of ​​the induction heating disc (8) in magnitude. [4] Food delivery bag (14) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by, that the protective plate (1) is adapted to the insert (6) in such a way that the protective plate (1) fits precisely into the insert (6). [5] Food delivery bag (14) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the protective plate (1) is rectangular or circular, wherein preferably - in the case of a rectangular protective plate (1) - the protective plate (1) has dimensions in the range between 380 mm × 370 mm and 390 mm × 370 mm. [6] Food delivery bag (14) according to claim 5, characterized by , that the edges of the protective plate (1) are rounded or chamfered. [7] Food delivery bag (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by , that the thickness (34) of the protective plate (1) is between 1 mm and 3 mm. [8] Food delivery bag (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by , that the protective plate (1) is made of aluminium. [9] Food delivery bag (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by , that the protective plate (1) is connected to the induction heating disc (8) by means of rivets (9), preferably blind rivets. [10] Food delivery bag (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by , that the induction heating disc (8) is designed in a circular shape, wherein preferably the induction heating disc (8) has a diameter (35) of 250 mm. [11] Food delivery bag (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by , that the thickness (36) of the induction heating disc (8) is 10 mm. [12] Food delivery bag (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized by , that a wall of the insert (6) facing away from the interior (17) is provided with an aluminium coating (4) which is designed and equipped to reflect heat radiated from the induction heat disc (8) on the wall. [13] Food delivery bag (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by , that the floor (25) is formed of fiberglass fabric (5). [14] Food delivery bag (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by that the floor (25) has an insulating layer (3) formed by an insulating material, wherein the insulating layer (3) preferably has a thickness between 10 mm and 12 mm. [15] Food delivery bag (14) for the delivery of food, comprising - a bag body (15) designed to enclose an interior (17) of the food delivery bag (14), - an induction heating disc (8), wherein the pocket body (15) has a base (25) in which a slot (6) for receiving the induction heating disc (8) is formed, wherein the induction heating disc (8) is designed and configured to be inductively heated by means of a stationary heating system, so that the interior (17) can be heated and / or kept warm by means of the induction heating disc (8), characterized by a protective plate (1), wherein the induction heating disc (8) is arranged on a bottom side (37) of the protective plate (1) and is mounted on the protective plate (1).

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