Container comprising at least one marker, lid comprising a marker, and container comprising a container for commodities and a lid, the said container being provided with at least one marker

Abstract

The food container (101) has at least one marker (103a, 103b). The marker (103a, 103b) has recessed marking dots on the outer surface of the container (101).

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The technical field of the invention relates to the identification of a container comprising a food tray and a lid for closing the tray. More particularly, the invention relates to the tray comprising at least one marker and / or the lid comprising a marker, and therefore also, in general, to the container comprising at least one marker. Prior art

[0002] It is common practice to package dishes, and therefore food, in individual or multiple portions in plastic trays, each sealed with a plastic film attached to the tray by heat sealing. The packaging of dishes in these trays can be carried out in one or more facilities, such as central kitchens.Each plastic tray containing contents and sealed with the corresponding plastic film is said to be "packaged" and can be identified by means of a label affixed to the film, or to the tray itself, and presenting information relating to regulatory display; for example, this information is the approval number of the central kitchen which carried out the packaging of the packaged tray, the date of packaging of the packaged tray, the expiry date of the contents of the packaged tray, the storage temperatures of the packaged tray for example "to be kept between 0°C and 3°C", the designation of the contents of the packaged tray and sometimes a recommendation for reheating the packaged tray.Such labels allow users to identify the trays from one another, ensure traceability, and, where applicable, comply with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) requirements. After packaging, the sealed plastic trays, chilled to a positive temperature (e.g., 3°C), can be transported refrigerated to satellite restaurants where they will be stored, for example, in refrigerated cabinets, typically at 3°C, and then reheated for consumption. Satellite restaurants are defined as restaurants that receive the prepared meals from the central kitchen(s) and where the meals are consumed.Typically, the distribution of meals from the central kitchen(s) to satellite restaurants can be organized using the cook-chill method. For home meal delivery, sealed plastic trays can also be delivered directly to individuals' homes for consumption.

[0003] The disadvantages of pre-packaged trays are as follows: They generate significant plastic waste since the trays and corresponding plastic films are not reusable; they present a health risk with regard to endocrine disruptors.

[0004] Indeed, when using a plastic tray, there is a risk of endocrine disruptors migrating from the plastic used in its composition into the food stored in the tray. This can occur during cooking if the food is cooked in the tray, or immediately after cooking if the food is placed back in the tray while still hot, and / or when the tray containing the food is reheated. In fact, plastics contain substances that disrupt the human hormonal system, leading to adverse effects in the human body: these substances are endocrine disruptors. The migration of synthetic endocrine disruptors, that is, those found in plastics, into food is facilitated by heat and fatty or acidic foods.

[0005] To address the two drawbacks of plastic trays listed above, it is common practice to package food products—that is, the meals or foodstuffs mentioned earlier—in a container consisting of a stainless steel tray and a stainless steel lid designed to allow the tray to be closed, resulting in a container with the lid sealing the tray. In this case, there is a need to identify the containers, for example, for management purposes. Container identification is possible by affixing suitable labels to the container. Such labels can be water-soluble to allow for automatic removal in container washing facilities, but this can be problematic as it may lead to the presence of adhesive and label residue in the washing facility's drainage system.Furthermore, after the labels are removed, for example at a car wash or at a private residence, this creates a problem of container tracking so that each container is returned to its owner, that is, to the corresponding entity that originally packaged the food, when all the containers do not belong to the same owner. This makes container management cumbersome for central kitchens, which then have to manage a fleet of containers when these containers, delivered to satellite restaurants or private residences, do not all originate from the same entity.In addition, in order to allow a continuous rotation of reusable containers, for example in chilled food service, it is necessary for the central kitchen(s) to monitor stocks (how many containers are being cooled, how many containers are in the washing center, how many containers are ready to serve in the satellite restaurant); identification and traceability are therefore important for central kitchens.

[0006] A known solution applied to stainless steel containers that eliminates the need to manage peel-off labels is QR code marking (short for "Quick Response code"), applied using a laser to the surface of the lids. This solution is relatively durable as long as the laser-engraved QR codes do not fade, which can happen with repeated cleaning of the containers. QR codes have the advantage of being scannable by an identification system to identify the containers. US patent 2003 / 165602 A1 describes a container according to the preamble of independent claim 1. DE patent 10 2005 036269 A1 describes a lid according to the preamble of independent claim 10. Object of the invention

[0007] The invention aims to limit waste related to the packaging of food in a container which includes a food container and a lid to close said container while allowing at least a part of the container to be identified, for example the container and / or the lid.

[0008] For this purpose, the invention relates to a container for foodstuffs according to independent claim 1.

[0009] Using a marker with recessed marking dots is advantageous because the marker allows for a permanently legible marking of the container.

[0010] The container may also include one or more of the following features: The marking points of the marker are arranged to form a two-dimensional code; the two-dimensional code is a Datamatrix; the marking points of the marker are arranged to form a sequence of characters, each chosen from a set of alphanumeric characters; the marker is obtained by micro-percussion marking; the tray includes at least one marking element having marking points recessed on the outer surface of the tray and arranged to form a sequence of characters, each chosen from a set of alphanumeric characters, said two-dimensional code being representative of the sequence of characters; the marking element is obtained by micro-percussion marking; the tray includes external side faces and several markers, each provided in one of the external side faces, the markers being representative of the same identifier;The container has four external lateral faces connected together to define a lateral contour of the container, each external lateral face displaying one of the markers.

[0011] The invention also relates to a lid for closing a food container according to independent claim 10.

[0012] The lid may also include one or more of the following features: The marking points of the marker are arranged to form a two-dimensional code; the two-dimensional code is a Datamatrix; the marking points of the marker are arranged to form a sequence of characters, each chosen from a set of alphanumeric characters; the marker is obtained by micro-percussion marking; the lid includes a marking element comprising recessed marking points formed in the face of the lid and arranged to form a sequence of characters, each chosen from a set of alphanumeric characters, said two-dimensional code being representative of the sequence of characters.

[0013] The invention also relates to a container comprising a food container and a lid for closing the container, this container being such that: the container is as described previously; and / or the lid is as described previously.

[0014] Other advantages and features may emerge from the detailed description that follows. Brief description of the drawings

[0015] The invention will be better understood upon reading the detailed description that follows, given only by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the drawings attached and listed below. There figure 1 represents a perspective view of a container comprising a food tray and a lid for closing the tray, according to an embodiment of the invention wherein the lid comprises a marker and the tray comprises markers. figure 2 represents a cross-sectional view of the container of the figure 1 according to a cut formed in a plane parallel to the plane defined by the Z and X axes of the figure 1 and in a specific case where food is present in the bin. figure 3schematically represents a two-dimensional code formed by micro-percussion; this two-dimensional code forms a marker intended for the identification of the container and / or the lid. figure 4 represents a perspective view of the tray alone, empty and equipped with markers. figure 5 represents a perspective view of the lid alone, fitted with a marker. figure 6 represents a perspective view of the container comprising the tray and the lid according to an embodiment of the invention different from that of the figure 1 in the sense that the markers represented in figure 6 are different from those visible in figure 1 . There figure 7 represents a perspective view of the container comprising the tray and the lid according to yet another embodiment of the invention, wherein the tray has marking elements different from the markers on the tray and the lid has a marking element different from the marker on the lid. figure 8 represents a view from below of the container of the figure 1 , for example viewed along a direction orthogonal to the plane defined by the X and Y axes of the figure 1 . There figure 9 schematically represents an example of a two-dimensional code in the form of a Datamatrix for a bin, this two-dimensional code being coupled with a corresponding alphanumeric code, this figure 9 is notably an enlargement of the bin marker and the bin marking element of areas circled in dotted lines and marked Z1 on the figure 7 . There Figure 10 schematically represents an example of a two-dimensional code in the form of a Datamatrix for a lid, this two-dimensional code being coupled with a corresponding alphanumeric code, this Figure 10 is notably an enlargement of the lid marker and the lid marking element of the area circled in dotted lines and labeled Z2 on the figure 7.

[0016] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements. The elements represented in the different figures are not necessarily drawn to scale in order to facilitate understanding of the figures. Detailed description

[0017] As shown as an example in figures 1 and 2 A container 100 includes a tray 101 for food 1000 and a lid 102 for closing the tray 101 for food 1000. Thus, the container 100 can adopt a closure configuration in which the lid 102 closes the tray 101, notably as seen in figure 1 .

[0018] The 1000 goods mentioned in this description can be any type of merchandise intended for consumption; for example, 1000 goods can be food or medicinal products. These goods can be prepared in one or more central kitchens before being delivered, packaged in 100 containers in a closed configuration, to satellite restaurants or to private homes. For example, on the figure 2 , the 1000 items are present in the 101 bin (the 1000 items then form the contents of the 101 bin) and are schematically represented by a line giving a level of filling of the 1000 items in the 101 bin. For example, the 1000 items consist of a soup.

[0019] By "between two values", it is understood in this description that these two values ​​form the bounds of a corresponding range for which the two values ​​are included.

[0020] In this description, an identifier is used to identify a specific object within a set of objects. In other words, the identifier is also called a unique identifier. The identifier is preferably a string of characters, particularly alphanumeric characters. The identifier can also be called an identification code. The objects in the set of objects can be bins 101 and / or lids 102.

[0021] An orthonormal coordinate system XYZ is defined; this coordinate system is represented by the X, Y, and Z axes. figures 1, 2 , 6 And 7 The XYZ coordinate system gives the reference frame of container 100. In particular, the notions of "upper" and "lower" are given according to the Z axis which defines in particular the height in the reference frame of container 100.

[0022] The present invention proposes using suitable marking on the outer surface of the container 101 and / or on the lid 102 by means of one or more markers 103a, 103b, 105 (see for example the figures 1, 2 , 6 And 7 ) offering greater durability than laser marking. For this reason, the marker(s) 103a, 103b, 105 each have recessed marking points 104, 106, as shown in an example of such a marker 103a, 103b, 105 in figure 3 Marker 103a, 103b, 105 of the figure 3 , depending on the arrangement of its various points 104, 106 of intaglio marking, can represent, when read while formed on the surface of a part such as the tray 101 or the lid 102, the sequence of characters "1234507040000000". On figures other than those of the figure 3 where marker(s) 103a, 103b, 105 are visible ( figures 1, 2 , 4 , 5, 6 , 7 , 9 And 10) the different recessed points are not represented in detail but are schematically represented to facilitate understanding of these figures.

[0023] The advantage of the marker 103a, 103b located on the outer surface of the container 101 and / or the marker 105 on the lid 102 is that each marker 103a, 103b, 105 can be read optically, if necessary, using a barcode scanner, or by a person, while also offering durability in that cleaning the container 101 and / or the lid 102 after use will not alter the corresponding marker(s) 103a, 103b, 105, unlike a marker obtained by laser marking. Indeed, laser marking, particularly on stainless steel, is typically superficial, resulting in surface discoloration through a chemical reaction. Thus, the marking remains superficial and can be easily altered. For example, laser marking is not resistant to abrasive phenomena which are frequent during the use of 100 containers, such as their handling on stainless steel supports and / or their washing with abrasives.Conversely, the use of a marker 103a, 103b, or 105 for the container 101 or for the lid 102, which has recessed marking points 104 and 106, provides relief that limits the risk of damage to the marker 103a, 103b, or 105 from the external environment. "Readable by a person" means that the corresponding marker can be read by an optical reader belonging to the person or visually by the person if the corresponding marker is legible.

[0024] In particular, as shown by the figures 1, 2 , 4 , 6 And 7According to examples, the bin 101 may include at least one marker 103a, 103b. The marker 103a, 103b of the bin 101 has recessed marking points 104 on the outer surface of the bin 101. In other words, the recessed marking points 104 of the marker 103a, 103b of the bin 101 are arranged on the outer surface of the bin 101 and are, for example, arranged in a corresponding face of the bin 101. The advantage of such a marker 103a, 103b of the bin 101 is as described above. Specifically, the container 101 may contain several markers 103a, 103b, each with recessed marking points 104 on the outer surface of the container 101. Thus, everything that applies to marker 103a, 103b of the container may apply to each of the markers 103a, 103b of the container when it contains more than one. The markers 103a, 103b of the container 101 may represent the same thing (such as the same identifier) ​​and, where applicable, be identical.

[0025] In particular, as shown by the figures 1, 2 , 5, 6 And 7 According to examples, the lid 102 for closing the container 101 for food 1000 may include a marker 105; this marker 105 has recessed marking points 106 formed, i.e., arranged, in a face 107 of the lid 102. The advantage of such a marker 105 of the lid 102 is as described above. This face 107 of the lid 102 where the marker 105 is inscribed / formed is, in particular, the face 107 of the lid 102 intended to be oriented away from the container 101 when the lid 102 closes the container 101; This obviously allows the reading of marker 105 on lid 102 when it closes the container 101. Face 107 is notably a so-called upper face of lid 102 opposed to a lower face of lid 102 covering an opening 115 in container 101 allowing access to the contents of container 101 or filling container 101 with food 1000 ( figures 1, 2 , 4 , 5, 6 , 7 ).

[0026] The marker or each marker 103a, 103b of the container 101 can also be called an identification marker; it thus advantageously allows the container 101 to be uniquely identified in the sense that, in a set of containers 101 and possibly lids 102, the containers 101 will each be uniquely identified.

[0027] The marker 105 of the lid 102 can also be called an identification marker; it thus advantageously allows the lid 102 to be uniquely identified in the sense that, in a set of lids 102 and possibly of containers 101, the lids 102 will each be uniquely identified.

[0028] The various markers 103a, 103b, 105, and more particularly the various identification markers described, can be entered into a database.

[0029] The database can then contain the markers of a plurality of 101 bins and / or a plurality of 102 lids. This allows a manager to save time in tracking 101 bins and / or 102 lids, to reduce costs by automating tracking and to give the managers of the central kitchen(s) the ability to track the 100 containers in real time and to act appropriately if necessary according to need(s) detected during the tracking.

[0030] The term "manager" is used, for example, to refer to a central kitchen that manages the rotation of containers 100. In another example, the manager could be a company, or an individual, that manages the billing for home meal delivery to individuals.

[0031] According to a first example, the database can link the markers 103a, 103b, 105 of the containers 101 and / or the lids 102 to relevant information such as, for example, for each packaged container 100 (the packaged container 100 corresponding to the container 101 in which the foodstuffs 1000 are stored and closed by the corresponding lid 102) information giving the approval number of the central kitchen that prepared the contents of said container 100 and packaged said container 100, the packaging date of said packaged container 100, the use-by date of said contents of packaged container 100, the storage temperatures of said packaged container 100 for example "to be kept between 0°C and 3°C", the designation of the contents of said packaged container 100, sometimes a recommendation for reheating the foodstuffs 1000 contained in said packaged container 100,where applicable, the identifier of the lid 102 of said packaged container 100 or of the tray 101 of said packaged container 100, and where applicable, the owner of the lid 102 of said packaged container 100 or of the tray 101 of said packaged container 100.

[0032] According to a second example, the database can link the markers 103a, 103b, and 105 of the containers 101 and / or lids 102 to identify the containers 101 and / or lids 102 in order to track them and allow for their return. This return system is particularly useful in the context of home meal delivery, where it will be necessary to enable the return of the containers 100 for reuse.

[0033] Furthermore, the linking of a marker 103a, 103b, 105 corresponding in the database to the contents of container 100 can make it possible to know the contents (i.e. the type of food in the container 101) when the part bearing said marker 103a, 103b, 105, namely the container 101 or the lid 102, is opaque as is the case when said part is made of stainless steel.

[0034] In particular, the marker 105 of the lid(s) 102 is specific to said lid 102, and / or the marker(s) 103a, 103b of the container 101 are specific to it; this allows identifiers linked to the markers 103a, 103b, 105 to be stored in the database and data to be associated with them which may vary depending on whether the identifier is linked to a marker 103a, 103b of container 101 or to a marker 105 of lid 102. Indeed, the need for identification is not necessarily the same for a lid 102 and for a container 101.These requirements can be defined by a user through the database; for example, they might include identifying the owner of container 101 or lid 102, identifying the last location where the relevant marker 103a, 103b, or 105 was read, and displaying the required information (for example, the approval number of the central kitchen that prepared the contents of container 100, the packaging date, the use-by date of the contents of container 100, the storage temperature of the contents, and the contents of container 100). The user can even add their own fields to the database as needed.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the marker(s) 103a, 103b, 105, belonging, where applicable, to the container 101 or the lid 102, may be such that its marking points 104, 106 are arranged to form a two-dimensional code. The advantage of having a marker 103a, 103b, 105 in the form of a two-dimensional code is that it can be easily identified, for example, by optical reading using a suitable scanner. The two-dimensional code can then be representative of a unique identifier linked, where appropriate, to the lid 102 or the container 101 and defined during the manufacture of the lid 102 or the container 101. Typically the two-dimensional code can contain / store data for example at least one identifier which can be where appropriate, the identifier of the container 101 for the or each marker 103a, 103b of the container 101 or the identifier of the lid 102 for the marker 105 of the lid 102.

[0036] For example, fixed readers (e.g., scanners) on a packaging or washing line can be used to automatically read the 103a, 103b, and 105 markers mentioned in this description. In addition, such 103a, 103b, and 105 markers can also be read manually by a person using a handheld reader or a mobile phone equipped with a camera and a dedicated application, for example, during delivery to a satellite restaurant, upon return from a laundromat, or upon return from a private residence.

[0037] The two-dimensional code can be a Datamatrix. The Datamatrix has the advantage of allowing the storage of a quantity of data adapted to the application, namely, for example, a unique identifier within a set of identifiers whose identifiers allow the unique identification of lids 102 and / or tray 101. Another advantage of the Datamatrix is ​​that it can contain different levels of security, allowing it to be read even if it is partially damaged or obscured. This is particularly suitable for identification in the kitchen in the event that the handling of the container 100 could cause a service operator to scratch, or soil, the marker 103a, 103b of the tray 101 and / or the marker 105 of the lid 102, for example by unintentionally placing food on the corresponding marker 103a, 103b, 105 which would have the effect of filling in part of its recessed marking points 104, 106.With Datamatrix, it is therefore possible to limit situations in which markers 103a, 103b, and 105 would not be optically readable. For example, Datamatrix can offer a readability capability in case of damage (scratches or soiling) affecting up to 30% of its recessed dots. Datamatrix also has the advantage of being freely usable.

[0038] According to one embodiment, illustrated by way of example in figure 6The marker(s) 103a, 103b, 105, belonging where applicable to the lid 102 or the tray 101, may be such that its marking points 104, 106 are arranged to form a sequence of characters, each chosen from a set of alphanumeric characters. This has the advantage that said marker 103a, 103b, 105 is intelligible to a person without an external reading device such as a scanner. Each sequence of characters may correspond to an identifier associated, where applicable, with the tray 101 or the lid 102. Thus, in figure 6 , markers 103a, 103b of tray 101 preferentially represent the same sequence of alphanumeric characters as "BB123456789" in the example shown, and marker 105 of the lid is "CI123456789"; the size of the characters of markers 103a, 103b 105 in figure 6The image is not to scale and has been deliberately exaggerated to allow for reading. The embodiment featuring one or more markers 103a, 103b, 105, belonging where appropriate to the tray 101 or the lid 102, of the two-dimensional code type, is preferred for its ease of reading by scanner-type readers.

[0039] Two embodiments for the marker(s) 103a, 103b, 105 of the container 101 and / or the lid 102 have been described previously: one with a two-dimensional code and the other with a sequence of alphanumeric characters. These two embodiments can be combined, if necessary, on the lid 102 and / or the container 101 so that each lid 102 and / or container 101 can allow a two-dimensional code to be read by a scanner and a visual reading by the person mentioned above in an intelligible manner. In this case, and applicable to the container 101 and / or the lid 102, the two-dimensional code and the sequence of characters can correspond to the same identifier in order to present two different identification solutions. This combination is illustrated as an example in figure 7 .

[0040] As shown, for example, the figure 7The tray 101 may include, in addition to the recessed marking points 104 of the marker(s) 103a, 103b, at least one marking element 108a, 108b comprising recessed marking points on the outer surface of the tray 101 arranged to form a sequence of characters, the characters of said sequence of characters each being chosen from a set of alphanumeric characters, said two-dimensional code of the marker(s) 103a, 103b of the tray 101 being representative of the sequence of characters; that is to say, this two-dimensional code is, for example, generated so as to represent the sequence of characters. In particular, said two-dimensional code stores said sequence of characters. In particular, the marking element(s) 108a, 108b is arranged under the corresponding marking element(s) 103a, 103b of the tray 101, for example, in the manner shown in figure 9(Tray 101 can then contain as many marking elements 108a, 108b as markers 103a, 103b). The character sequence can be the same for all marking elements 108a, 108b of tray 101 so that this character sequence can be read in different locations within tray 101. The detail of an assembly containing a marker 103a, 103b of tray 101 and a marking element 108a, 108b of tray 101 is represented in figure 9 .

[0041] As shown, for example, the figure 7The cover 102 may include, in addition to its marker 105, a marking element 109 comprising recessed marking points formed in the face 107 of the cover 102 and arranged to form a sequence of characters, the characters of said sequence of characters each being chosen from a set of alphanumeric characters, said two-dimensional code forming the marker 105 of the cover 102 being representative of the sequence of characters; that is to say, for example, that this two-dimensional code is generated so as to represent the sequence of characters. In particular, said two-dimensional code stores said sequence of characters. In particular, the marking element 109 is arranged under the corresponding marker 105 of the cover 102, for example in the manner shown in Figure 10 .

[0042] Each element 108a, 108b, 109 of the marking, whether of the tray 101 or the lid 102, can, in a manner analogous to what has been described for each marker 103a, 103b, 105, be linked to the database mentioned previously.

[0043] Each marker 103a, 103b, 105 described herein, and this also applies to each marking element 108a, 108b, 109, can be obtained by micro-percussion marking. In this case, the corresponding marking points have identifiable characteristics that allow confirmation that micro-percussion has been used.

[0044] The advantage of micro-percussion for forming the marking points on each marker 103a, 103b, 105 of the container 101 and / or the lid 102 is that the resulting marking is unaffected by temperature variations in the kitchen environment and by washing stresses. Temperature stresses are defined by a temperature range specifying the temperatures to which the container can be subjected, this range being defined between -25°C and 250°C inclusive. Washing stresses include chemical reactions with the washing products used and mechanical abrasion during washing.Furthermore, this micro-percussion marking technique makes it possible to obtain intaglio marking points, also called micro-points, on the surface of the part where they are formed without deforming the part on a face opposite to the one on which the micro-percussion marking is performed. This is particularly suitable for use on a container 100, for example, where the marked part, notably formed by the container 101 or the lid 102, may be delimited by a thin wall formed, for example, by stamping a sheet, particularly stainless steel. The thin wall is, for example, between 0.6 mm and 0.8 mm thick. The teachings of this paragraph also apply to the marking element(s) 108a, 108b, 109 when its intaglio marking points are obtained by micro-percussion marking.

[0045] Micro-percussion marking also has the advantage of not presenting a health risk in the sense that the indentations created can easily be cleaned.

[0046] Micro-percussion marking is implemented in particular by means of a punch which strikes and deforms the material of the part to be marked, i.e. the tray 101 or the lid 102, which makes the marking obtained more difficult to alter than that obtained by laser whose colour can be altered by washing.

[0047] The 101 tray may include, as shown for example by the figures 1, 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 And 8The device consists of two outer lateral faces 110a, 110b, 110c, and 110d, and several markers 103a and 103b, each formed in one of these outer lateral faces. These markers 103a and 103b represent the same identifier, for example, which they store. This allows easy access to one of the markers 103a or 103b for reading without requiring excessive manipulation of the tray 101, such as rotating it to locate the marker 103a or 103b to be read. The markers 103a and 103b in the tray 101 can then be identical. If necessary, the container 101 may include the marking elements 108a, 108b representing the same sequence of characters and each provided in one of the external lateral faces 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d; in this case the advantage is also to allow easier identification of the container 101 by reading one of the marking elements 108a; 108b by a person.

[0048] More specifically, the container 101 may have four external lateral faces 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d connected to each other to define a lateral contour of the container 101, each lateral face 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d having / being equipped with one of the markers 103a, 103b of the container 101. This allows a marker 103a, 103b to be read on any of the external lateral faces 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d in order to identify the container 101, thus limiting the handling of the container 101 and / or the time to find a marker 103a, 103b to read on the container 101. Furthermore, since closed containers 100 are often positioned on vertical supports or stacked one on top of the other: it is therefore preferable to be able to read one of the markers 103a, 103b on any lateral side of tray 101.This may, where appropriate, apply to the marking elements 108a, 108b of the tray 101, which are then four in number and each provided in a lateral face of the tray 101 which has its own so that any face 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d allows one of the marking elements 108a, 108b to be presented to a person to be read.

[0049] Of course, the invention also relates to the container 100 which generally comprises a tray 101 for foodstuffs and a lid 102 for closing the tray 101, this container 100 being such that: the container 101 is as described above, that is to say that it has at least one marker 103a, 103b, the marker 103a, 103b of the container 101 having recessed marking points 104 on the outer surface of the container 101; and / or the lid 102 is as described above, that is to say that it has a marker 105, the marker 105 of the lid 102 having recessed marking points 106 formed in a face 107 of the lid 102. In other words, container 100 can be such that one or both of the bin 101 and the lid 102 bear a corresponding marker as described herein. Such a container 100 is advantageously reusable and permanently identifiable. Preferably, in the case identified above where bin 101 bears one or more markers 103a, 103b and lid 102 bears a marker 105, the marker 105 of lid 102 is different from markers 103a, 103b of bin 101 or from each of the markers 103a, 103b of bin 101 in order to allow, on the one hand, the identification of lid 102, and, on the other hand, the identification of bin 101.

[0050] In particular, bin 101 may include, as shown by example, the figure 4, a base 111 from which rises a lateral wall 112 allowing to delimit, on the one hand, the inner lateral faces of the tank 101 respectively opposite the outer lateral faces 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d of the tank 101. The lateral wall 112 connects in particular the base 111 of the tank 101 to an edge 113 of the tank 101. This edge 113 has in particular a frame shape, or an annular shape, intended to cooperate with a peripheral edge 114 ( figure 5 ) of the lid 102 in order to close the container 101 and thus obtain the container 101 in its closed configuration. The rim 113 serves in particular to delimit the opening 115 of the container 101. By "annular," we mean a general closed-loop shape. A closed loop as defined herein may be formed by straight lines and / or one or more curved lines.

[0051] The 101 container is preferably a gastronorm container. In France, gastronorm containers are standardized according to NF EN 631-1, which is itself the result of the European standard EN 631. Thus, gastronorm containers meet certain standards, such as installation requirements for appropriate supports and specific dimensions: this ensures the compatibility of the 101 container with the needs of a meal distribution process. Regarding the dimensions of such a gastronorm container, they are available in various sizes, such as the GN 1 / 1 format, which can have different depths.

[0052] The 101 container is made of stainless steel. The 101 stainless steel container has the following advantages: it is compatible with the storage of 1000 foodstuffs, particularly food, which eliminates the risks associated with endocrine disruptors when the 1000 foodstuffs are only in contact with stainless steel, the safety of which is recognized; it provides good mechanical resistance while remaining within a weight range suitable for handling the 100 container in the kitchen; it is reusable.

[0053] The stainless steel container 101 can be delimited by a wall with a thickness between 0.6 mm and 0.8 mm, this wall being shaped appropriately to, for example, form the base 111 and the side wall 112. Such a thickness allows the container 101 to remain within a suitable weight range, particularly when the container is a gastronorm container.

[0054] The 101 container can be obtained by stamping a sheet of stainless steel.

[0055] Of course, lid 102 can be in gastronorm format to be compatible with container 101 when the latter is in gastronorm format.

[0056] Lid 102 is made of stainless steel. The advantages of stainless steel are the same as those described in relation to stainless steel container 101.

[0057] The lid 102, when made of stainless steel, can be delimited by a wall with a thickness of between 0.6 mm and 0.8 mm. This thickness allows the lid 102 to remain within a suitable weight range, particularly when intended for use with the gastronorm container 101.

[0058] The 102 cover can be obtained by stamping a sheet of stainless steel.

[0059] In addition, stainless steel as the material forming the container 101 and / or the lid 102 is particularly suitable for being permanently marked by micro-percussion marking.

[0060] Alternatively, and not according to the invention, the lid 102 may be made of plastic, preferably transparent. The plastic lid 102 may be produced by injection molding. Such a lid 102 is also suitable for marking by micro-percussion marking. An advantage here is that the lid 102 can be transparent, thus allowing one to see through it, for example, to determine the contents of the container 100. Furthermore, the plastic material for the lid 102 is less likely to come into contact with the food 1000, thereby limiting the risks associated with endocrine disruptors. For example, in institutional catering, the plastic lid 102 can be used for food items that do not require heating (cold appetizers or desserts, for example).For example, in the case of home meal delivery, individuals are advised to remove the plastic lid 102 before heating the food in the stainless steel container 101. As a non-exhaustive example, the transparent plastic material is a copolyester such as glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PETG.

[0061] For example, each 101 container is identified during its manufacture with an identifier and its marker 103a, 103b, or each of its markers 103a, 103b, is representative of this identifier. According to a particular embodiment, each 101 container is uniquely identified by a sequence of eleven characters (forming the identifier of said 101 container), the first two of which are letters such as "BB" and the following nine are digits defined incrementally and uniquely during the manufacture of the 101 container. The two-dimensional code of the marker 103a, 103b of the 101 container is generated from this sequence of characters before being marked on the corresponding 101 container, preferably by micro-percussion marking.

[0062] For example, each lid 102 is identified during its manufacture with an identifier, and its marker 105 represents this identifier. In one particular embodiment, each lid 102 is identified by a sequence of eleven characters (forming the identifier of said lid 102), the first two of which are letters such as "CI," and the following nine are digits defined incrementally and uniquely during manufacturing. The two-dimensional code of the marker 105 of the corresponding lid 102 is generated from this sequence of characters before being marked on the lid 102, preferably by micro-percussion.

[0063] For example, the figure 9 illustrates a two-dimensional Datamatrix code generated from the identifier "BB123456789" for bac 101. In the example of the figure 9 which corresponds in particular to the method of implementation of the figure 7The Datamatrix is ​​associated with the marking element "BB123456789" for example engraved below the Datamatrix to allow two reading methods to identify bin 101.

[0064] For example, the Figure 10 illustrates a two-dimensional Datamatrix-type code generated from the identifier "CI123456789" for lid. In the example of the figure 9 which corresponds in particular to the method of implementation of the figure 7 The Datamatrix code is associated with the marking element "CI123456789," for example, engraved below the Datamatrix code, to allow two reading methods for identifying lid 102. The characters "CI" represent, for example, "Stainless Steel Lid." Alternatively, if lid 102 were made of plastic, the first two letters of its identifier could be "CP" instead of "CI" to indicate that lid 102 is made of plastic.

[0065] The present invention provides a modern, fast, waste-free, and reusable solution for the identification and tracking of reusable containers, preferably stainless steel. Furthermore, the present invention enables the digital management of containers and their contents via a database associated with markers 103a, 103b, and 105 from different containers.

[0066] Thus, the present invention allows the management of a fleet of 100 containers in order to facilitate the recording of HACCP data in digital form and to no longer have to do it manually on paper, thus facilitating the tracing of documents due to their digitization.

[0067] Indeed, thanks to the database, it will be easy to know the location of the containers (100) (101 tubs and 102 lids) within the food service process, as well as the number of containers used. This invention simplifies the management of the 100 container inventory and allows for estimating the lifespan of a set consisting of a 101 tub and a 102 lid. A rental service for 101 tubs and 102 lids could also be facilitated; in fact, identifying a marker, such as a Datamatrix code engraved by micro-percussion, linked to a database simplifies management for the container rental service. Another application is the deposit system for the 100 containers mentioned in this detailed description, in the context of home meal delivery to individuals.

[0068] The present invention finds industrial application particularly in the field of food packaging, especially in cold chain where meals are prepared and packaged in one or more central kitchens before being transported to satellite restaurants for consumption.

Claims

1. A tray (101) for foodstuffs (1000), said tray (101) including at least one marker (103a, 103b), the marker (103a, 103b) includes recessed marking points (104) on the outer surface of the tray (101), characterized in that the tray (101) is made of stainless steel.

2. The tray (101) according to claim 1, characterized in that the marking points (104) of the marker (103a, 103b) are arranged so as to form a two-dimensional code.

3. The tray (101) according to claim 2, characterized in that the two-dimensional code is a Datamatrix.

4. The tray (101) according to claim 1, characterized in that the marking points (104) of the marker (103a, 103b) are arranged so as to form a sequence of characters each selected from a set of alphanumeric characters.

5. The tray (101) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the marker (103a, 103b) is obtained by micro-percussion marking.

6. The tray (101) according to any one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that it includes at least one marking element (108a, 108b) including recessed marking points on the outer surface of the tray (101) and arranged so as to form a sequence of characters each selected from a set of alphanumeric characters, said two-dimensional code being representative of the sequence of characters.

7. The tray (101) according to claim 6, characterized in that the marking element (108a, 108b) is obtained by micro-percussion marking.

8. The tray (101) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it includes outer lateral faces (110a, 110b, 110c, 110d) and several markers (103a, 103b) each provided in one of the outer lateral faces (110a, 110b, 110c, 110d), the markers (103a, 103b) being representative of a same identifier.

9. The tray (101) according to claim 8, characterized in that it includes four outer lateral faces (110a, 110b, 110c, 110d) connected to each other so as to delimit a lateral contour of the tray (101), each outer lateral face (110a, 110b, 110c, 110d) having one of the markers (103a, 103b).

10. A lid (102) for closing a tray (101) for foodstuffs (1000), the lid (102) including a marker (105), wherein • the marker (105) includes recessed marking points (106) formed in one face (107) of the lid (102); and • the face (107) of the lid (102) in which the marker (105) is formed is the face (107) of the lid (102) intended to face away from the tray (101) when the lid (102) closes the tray (101), characterized in that the lid (102) is made of stainless steel.

11. The lid (102) according to claim 10, characterized in that the marking points (106) of the marker (105) are arranged so as to form a two-dimensional code.

12. The lid (102) according to claim 11, characterized in that the two-dimensional code is a Datamatrix.

13. The lid (102) according to claim 10, characterized in that the marking points (106) of the marker (105) are arranged so as to form a sequence of characters each selected from a set of alphanumeric characters.

14. The lid (102) according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the marker (105) is obtained by micro-percussion marking.

15. The lid (102) according to any one of claims 11 to 12, characterized in that it includes a marking element (109) including recessed marking points formed in the face (107) of the lid (102) and arranged so as to form a sequence of characters each selected from a set of alphanumeric characters, said two-dimensional code being representative of the sequence of characters.

16. A container (100) including a tray (101) for foodstuffs (1000) and a lid (102) for closing the tray (101), characterized in that: • the tray (101) is according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and / or • the lid (102) is according to any one of claims 10 to 15.

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