IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0413352
(2006-04-28)
|
등록번호 |
US-7594582
(2009-10-12)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Sus, Gerald A.
- Ewald, Henry T.
- Simmons, Paul G.
- Schackmuth, Glenn
- Mazurkiewicz, John J.
- Reimann, William J.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Restaurant Technology, Inc.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
26 |
초록
▼
A method is provided for storing a cooked food in a flexible-walled container having an opening. The method includes placing a quantity of food in a flexible-walled container and submerging at least a portion of the container in a liquid with the opening being located so that liquid does not enter t
A method is provided for storing a cooked food in a flexible-walled container having an opening. The method includes placing a quantity of food in a flexible-walled container and submerging at least a portion of the container in a liquid with the opening being located so that liquid does not enter the opening. At least the lower portion of the container is maintained in the liquid and the food is maintained in the container below the surface of the liquid. The liquid collapses the container to seal the container. The temperature of the liquid may be maintained at a non-ambient temperature to heat or cool the food as it is stored. The method may also include storing the food adjacent a work surface, or at a remote main vat and transporting the rack to the work surface at which a serving that includes the food is prepared.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for holding a food submerged in a fluid and contained in a flexible-walled container without direct contact of the food product and the fluid comprising: a frame having a bottom portion and a top portion; a flexible-walled container having flexible sidewalls, a c
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for holding a food submerged in a fluid and contained in a flexible-walled container without direct contact of the food product and the fluid comprising: a frame having a bottom portion and a top portion; a flexible-walled container having flexible sidewalls, a closed bottom portion, and an opening in an upper portion of the container for providing access into the interior of the container, the container mounted to the frame with the container secured to the frame adjacent the opening of the container, the frame acting to maintain the sidewalls of the container in a spaced apart relationship adjacent to the opening of the container to provide access to the interior of the container, the container also secured to the frame to limit movement of the bottom portion of the container in an upward direction; and the flexible sidewalls of the container movable inwardly to contact each other at a position between the opening and bottom portion of the container while the container is secured to the frame to seal the interior of the container between the opening of the container and the bottom of the container and above the food that is placed in the container. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the container includes retaining structure adjacent the bottom portion of the container, and the frame has at least one surface for cooperation with the retaining structure to restrain the container to prevent upward buoyant movement of the bottom portion of the container. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the container includes a gusset forming at least a potion of the bottom portion of the container. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the container includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the container having a first sleeve positioned along the first sidewall adjacent to the opening of the container, and the container having a second sleeve positioned along the second sidewall adjacent to the opening of the container, the frame including a mounting member at the top portion of the frame, the mounting member cooperating with the first and second sleeves to secure the container to the frame adjacent the opening of the container. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a mounting member pivotably mounted at the top of the frame, the mounting member pivotably moveable between a first position adjacent the frame and a second position at least partially spaced from the frame to facilitate mounting the container to the mounting member to secure the container to the frame adjacent the opening of the container. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the mounting member includes a first rod and a second rod, each of the rods having a first end that is pivotably mounted to the frame and a second free end, the second ends of the rods being spaced apart, and the rods manually flexible to temporally adjust the spacing between the second free ends of the rods to facilitate the mounting of the container to the rods. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a fluid bath, the container and the frame at least partially submerged in the bath, and a heating device for maintaining the fluid bath at an elevated temperature. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a fluid bath, the container and the frame at least partially submerged in the bath, and a cooling device for maintaining the fluid bath at a reduced temperature. 9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the flexible sidewalls are moveable inwardly in response to hydrostatic pressure when in the fluid bath, the sidewalls contacting each other to seal the interior of the container. 10. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the container is formed of a plastic and liquid-impervious material. 11. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the retaining structure is a hole in the lower portion of the container, and the frame includes at least one ball attached to the lower portion of the frame, the hole mounted to the ball to prevent upward buoyant movement of the container. 12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes at least one clamp for securing the bag to the frame. 13. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the lower portion of the container includes a gusset having a first gusset tab and a second gusset tab, and the lower portion of the frame includes a support, the first gusset tab positioned on one side of the support and the second gusset tab positioned on the other side of the support. 14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the lower portion of the container has a plurality of retaining structures for preventing upward buoyant movement of the lower portion of the container, at least one of the retaining structures positioned adjacent the first gusset tab, and at least one of the retaining structures positioned adjacent the second gusset tab. 15. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the gusset has a first tab and a second tab, and a section where the first gusset is secured to the second gusset to form a sleeve, the lower portion of the frame including a mounting member that is inserted in the sleeve to restrain the lower portion of the container to prevent upward buoyant movement of the container. 16. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a fluid bath, at least the lower portion of the frame and at least the lower portion of the container positioned in the fluid bath, and a heat exchanging device for maintaining the temperature of the fluid bath at a non-ambient temperature. 17. An apparatus for holding a food product submerged in a fluid and contained in a flexible-walled container without direct contact of the food product and the fluid and for preparing a food serving that includes the food product comprising: a work surface for preparing a food serving, a vat positioned adjacent the work surface, a bath of fluid contained in the vat, a frame positionable in the vat, and a container for holding the food, the container secured to the frame and having flexible sidewalls, with the sidewalls having an inner surface and an outer surface, the container also having a closed bottom portion, and an opening to provide access into the interior of the container, the container mounted to the frame with the container secured to the frame adjacent the top opening of the container, the frame acting to maintain the sidewalls of the container in a spaced apart relationship adjacent to the opening of the container to provide access to the interior of the container; and the inner surface of the sidewalls of the container movable inwardly in response to hydrostatic forces from the bath of fluid acting on the outer surfaces of the sidewalls to cause the inner surfaces of the sidewalls to contact each other at a position between the opening and bottom portion of the container to seal the interior of the container. 18. The apparatus of claim 17 further characterized by the lower portion of the container also being secured to the lower portion of the frame to prevent upward buoyant movement of the bottom portion of the container. 19. The apparatus according to claim 18 further comprising the container having a food positioned in the interior of the container, and a heat exchanging device to maintain the bath at a non-ambient temperature, the sidewalls of the container movable inward from the hydrostatic force of the bath acting on the sidewalls to seal the interior of the container and to seal the food product within the interior of the container, the container preventing direct contact between the fluid and the food product, the sidewalls of the container separable by a manual force applied to the inner surface of the sidewalls to provide access to the food contained in the container for removal of the food product so that the food can be used to prepare a food serving at the work surface. 20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising at least a second vat, the second vat containing a second bath of fluid, the frame positionable in the second food vat with a least a portion of the frame submerged in the second vat, and the frame is transportable between the second vat to the first vat for positioning in the first vat. 21. A rack for holding a flexible-walled container having an open end and a bottom portion, the container for holding a food submerged in a fluid and contained in the container without direct contact of the food product and the fluid comprising: a bottom portion; a top portion; a top mounting member adapted for slidably mounting a sleeve of the container adjacent the open end to the top mounting member to removably retain the open end of the container in an open position and for slidably removing the sleeve from the top mounting member, and at least one lower mounting means adapted to removably retain the bottom portion of the container to prevent upward buoyant movement of the bottom portion of the container. 22. The rack of claim 21 further comprising a gusset support member attached to the bottom portion of the frame for supporting the bottom portion of a container having a first gusset tab and a second gusset tab with the first gusset tab to one side on the gusset support member and the second gusset tab to a second side of the gusset support member. 23. The rack of claim 22 further characterized by the lower mounting means including means to space the first gusset tab from the second gusset tab. 24. The rack of claim 21, wherein the top mounting member comprises an elongate member having a free end and a pivot end pivotably secured to the top portion, the elongate member having a use position in which the free end overlies the top portion to limit the downward pivoting motion of the elongate member, the elongate member adapted to be pivoted upward about the pivot end from the use position to a container mounting position in which the free end is displaced away from the top portion to facilitate slidably mounting the sleeve of the container adjacent the open end to, and slidably removing the sleeve from, the elongate member at the free end, and the free end adapted to be pivoted downward from the container mounting position to the use position to retain the open end of the container in the open position.
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