Food container and system comprising a plurality of food containers

Abstract

The invention relates to a food container (1) with a lid (3), a base (13), and side walls (11a, 11b, 11c). The food container (1) has a plurality of optically detectable markings (51, 53a, 53b, 53c, 53d), of which at least one (51) is detectable when viewed from above onto the lid (3), and at least one further marking (53a, 53b, 53c, 53d) is detectable when viewed from one side of the food container (1) onto one of the side walls (11a, 11b, 11c).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a food container and in particular a food container with an optically detectable marking as well as a system of several food containers.

[0002] Food containers are known from the prior art. For example, documents EP 3 061 704 A1 and DE 10 2021 003 554 A1, as well as GB 2 515 988 A, disclose a food packaging with a base part onto or into which at least one food item can be placed, and a lid part that can be connected to the base part. The lid part can be connected to the base part by four detachable fasteners.

[0003] German patent application DE 10 2008 050 795 A1 discloses a lid for airtight containers. The lid disclosed therein comprises a plurality of locking tab handles which are rotatably connected to the lid body and are designed to engage in a locking notch formed in the upper edge of an upper end of the container body. The locking tab handles are connected to the lid body by foil hinges.

[0004] German patent application DE 10 2021 203 792 A1 discloses a container for food to be prepared in an oven. The container has a QR code as an optical marker. By reading the QR code, a control process associated with the marker can be initiated in the oven. It is also known in the catering industry to equip tableware with a QR code, as disclosed in German patent application EP 4 112 487 A1.

[0005] When several such boxes are stacked for storage, a problem arises because the interface on the lid is covered and therefore cannot be read or identified.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need to create a food container that eliminates the aforementioned problems.

[0007] German patent application DE 10 2017 206 552 A1 discloses a container according to the preamble of independent claim 1, on which a QR code is affixed to at least one of the walls. However, this has the disadvantage that containers with a vessel part and lid can be assembled where the optically detectable markings differ, or where the same optically detectable marking appears on two containers in a storage situation.

[0008] From US patent 2021 371 176 A1, it is known to provide only a single marking on a container, namely on one of several locking hinges of the container. EP patent 3 061 704 A1 discloses the application of identical markings on two opposing locking hinges of the container.

[0009] A food container according to the invention has a lid, a base, and side walls. The food container has several optically detectable markings, at least one of which is detectable when looking down at the lid, and at least one more of which is detectable when looking from one side of the food container at one of the side walls.

[0010] By providing additional optically detectable markings that can be detected by looking at one of the side walls of the food container, it is possible to visually detect and identify each individual food container, even when several are stacked.

[0011] The lid can be attached to the food container by means of a locking hinge. The lid has a visually detectable marking, and at least one of the locking hinges has a further visually detectable marking.

[0012] A locking hinge according to the invention consists of a tab provided on the lid which is connected to the lid itself by means of a hinge. When the lid is placed on the food container, a section of this tab can engage with a counterpart provided on the food container by positive locking or frictional engagement. Thus, the lid is firmly connected to the food container and secured against unintentional detachment. With the locking tab engaged, an optical marking attached to the locking tab can then be read from the side.

[0013] The lid can be removable, and at least two opposing side walls can be assigned a locking hinge. Each of the locking hinges can have a visually detectable marking.

[0014] Each side panel can also be assigned a locking hinge, and each of the locking hinges can have a visually detectable marking.

[0015] This design has the advantage that the orientation of the container within the stack is irrelevant, as access to any side wall is sufficient to read or identify the optical marking. For example, two smaller containers can be stacked crosswise on top of a larger container lengthwise, or the container itself can support a larger container lengthwise.

[0016] Furthermore, a removable lid makes cleaning in a dishwasher easier, as less space is required to accommodate the separate containers and lids.

[0017] Alternatively, the lid can be attached to one of the side walls of the food container by means of a fixed hinge and must have a locking hinge at least on the side opposite the hinge. The locking hinge allows the lid to be secured in the closed position. The lid has a visually detectable marking, and at least the locking hinge has another visually detectable marking.

[0018] The optically detectable marking is in the form of a barcode or two-dimensionally in the form of a QR code.

[0019] It is advantageous to have a valve for venting the food container in the lid or in one of the side walls.

[0020] According to this design, it is possible to create a vacuum inside the container after it has been closed, thereby improving the shelf life of stored food.

[0021] The inventive design of the lid with locking hinges, at least one of which, but preferably all, has an optically detectable marking, makes it possible to clearly detect and identify a single optical marking even when several food containers are stacked. This is particularly advantageous when the optical marking on the lid is not visible due to the stacking of other containers on top.

[0022] While it is possible to provide optical markings on the side walls of the storage container itself, this is less preferred. In this case, care must be taken to ensure that the lid, which also has an optical marking, is correctly matched to the storage container that has the same optical marking.

[0023] Therefore, it is preferable that the optical markings are only provided on the lid, as this eliminates the need to match the lid with its corresponding container and allows any container of suitable size to be used. To enable side readability, at least one of the locking hinge's latches is provided with the optical marking.

[0024] According to the invention, several food containers form a system. The lids of the food containers have optically detectable markings, while the container parts themselves are free of such markings. This allows the lids to be used with any container parts, and the unique identification of the food container is ensured by the marking(s) on the lid. Furthermore, the lids in the system are compatible with the various container parts. This means that the lids can be interchangeably attached to the different container parts, thus creating a food container from a lid and a container part, and allowing the container to be sealed.

[0025] It is possible within the system for the vessel parts to have different sizes.

[0026] Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a currently preferred embodiment, which is given with reference to the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1 a longitudinal side view of a food container according to the invention; Fig. 2 a broad side view of the food container; Fig. 3 a top view of a food container.

[0027] A currently preferred embodiment of the invention is based on the Figures 1 to 3 described.

[0028] The Fig. 1Figure 1 is a longitudinal side view of a food container 1. The food container 1 has four side walls 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d, as well as a base 13. Essentially, the food container 1 is a cuboid open at the top. The four side walls 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d, along with the base 13, form a container part 2 of the food container 1. A lid 3 serves to close the food container 1. A closed food container 1 thus consists of container part 2 and lid 3.

[0029] Lid 3 is in the Fig. 3The lid 3 is shown in a top view. It is essentially rectangular and designed to be placed on the upper edges of the side walls 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d of the food container 1. Tabs 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d are provided on the sides of the lid 3 and are attached to it by means of hinges. To close the food container 1, the tabs 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d are extended from the side walls 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d shown in the diagram. Fig. 3 The tabs 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d are folded into the position shown against the side walls 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d. The tabs have means to engage positively with counterparts provided on the side walls 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d of the food container 1. This prevents the tabs 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d from unintentionally folding back into the position shown. Fig. 3 Open to the visible opening position.

[0030] Thus, the food container 1 is reliably closed by folding over the tabs 31a, 31b, 31c and 31d.

[0031] For identification purposes, the lid 3 has an optical marking 51, which is visible from above even when the food container is closed. Furthermore, the tabs 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d each have a similar optical marking 53a, 53b, 53c, and 53d. These optical markings on the tabs 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d are visible from any side of the food container when the tabs 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d are folded over.

[0032] Thus, even when the lid 3 of the food container 1 is inaccessible, for example due to several food containers being stacked on top of each other, and therefore the optical marking 51 on the lid 3 itself is not visible, it is possible to detect and read one of the optical markings 53a, 53b, 53c or 53d. These markings are located on the respective sides of the food container when the container 1 is closed, due to the flaps 31a, 31b, 31c and 31d being folded down.

[0033] According to the embodiment, the optical markings are always the same QR code. A barcode is also possible instead of a QR code.

[0034] The design of the optical marking as a QR code makes it possible to assign and manage data concerning the contents of the food container to the lid, which is uniquely identifiable by the QR code, and to the food container it seals. This data can include the type of food, an expiration date, a Nutri-Score, or instructions for further processing, such as recipes, etc.

Claims

1. Food container (1) comprising a lid (3) and a vessel part (2) wherein the vessel part (2) consists of a base (13) and side walls (11a, 11b, 11c), wherein a plurality of optically detectable markings (51, 53a, 53b, 53c, 53d) are located on the food container (1), wherein at least one of the plurality of optically detectable markings (53a, 53b, 53c, 53d) can be detected on one of the side walls (11a, 11b, 11c) when viewed from a side of the food container (1), wherein the optically detectable marking is a barcode as a one-dimensional interface or a QR code as a two-dimensional interface, wherein the lid (3) has an optically detectable marking (51), as a result of which at least one of the plurality of optically detectable markings (51) can be detected when the lid (3) is viewed from above, characterized in that the lid (3) can be fixed to the food container (1) by means of a locking hinge (31a, 31b, 31c, 31d), wherein the lid (3) is removable and at least two opposing side walls (11a, 11b, 11c) are each assigned a locking hinge (31a, 31b, 31c, 31d), or wherein the lid is attached to one of the side walls of the food container by means of a fixed hinge and has, at least on the side opposite the hinge, a locking hinge, by means of which the lid can be fixed in the closed position, wherein at least one of the locking hinges (31a, 31b, 31c, 31d) has a further optically detectable marking (53a, 53b, 53c, 53d).

2. Food container according to the preceding claim, wherein the lid (3) is removable, and at least two opposing side walls (11a, 11c) are assigned a locking hinge (31a, 31c), and each of the locking hinges (31a, 31c) has an optically detectable marking (53a, 53c).

3. Food container according to either of the preceding claims, wherein each side wall (11a, 11b, 11c) is assigned a locking hinge (31a, 31b, 31c, 31d) and each of the locking hinges (31a, 31b, 31c, 31d) has an optically detectable marking (53a, 53b, 53c, 53d).

4. Food container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a valve for venting the food container is provided in the lid or in one of the side walls.

5. System consisting of a plurality of food containers according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of optically detectable markings are present on the lids and locking hinges of the food containers, wherein the vessel parts of the food containers are free of optically detectable markings, characterised in that the plurality of lids are compatible with the plurality of vessel parts and the plurality of lids are interchangeable on the plurality of vessel parts, and are designed and constructed to form and close a food container.

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