U.S. patent application number 14/041741 was filed with the patent office on 2014-04-03 for insulated food jar with campfire or stove heatable inner container.
This patent application is currently assigned to Thermos L.L.C.. The applicant listed for this patent is Marvin Lane. Invention is credited to Marvin Lane.
Application Number | 20140091097 14/041741 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50384228 |
Filed Date | 2014-04-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140091097 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lane; Marvin |
April 3, 2014 |
INSULATED FOOD JAR WITH CAMPFIRE OR STOVE HEATABLE INNER
CONTAINER
Abstract
An insulated food jar assembly includes an outer insulated
container or sleeve having an open mouth and an interior space. The
outer insulated container is a double-walled vacuum insulated
container. An inner container nests into the interior space of the
outer insulated container. The inner container has a collar that
extends over the open mouth of the outer container when nested. The
collar includes handles and an inner surface that bears against a
friction ring about the mouth of the outer container. A lid fastens
onto a neck of the inner container. A stopper in the lid fits into
the neck and has a gasket to seal against an inward projection of
the neck. A gasket at an outer edge of the lid seals against a
shoulder of the inner container. The inner container is of a
material that may be heated over an open flame heat source.
Inventors: |
Lane; Marvin; (Wheeling,
IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Lane; Marvin |
Wheeling |
IL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Thermos L.L.C.
Schaumburg
IL
|
Family ID: |
50384228 |
Appl. No.: |
14/041741 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61708417 |
Oct 1, 2012 |
|
|
|
61724652 |
Nov 9, 2012 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/592.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/3837 20130101;
B65D 81/3407 20130101; B65D 81/3841 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/592.2 |
International
Class: |
B65D 81/38 20060101
B65D081/38 |
Claims
1. An insulated food jar assembly comprising: an insulated outer
container having an open first end; a heatable inner container
having an open mouth and configured to slidably nest inside said
insulated outer container through said first open end, the heatable
inner container being of a material and configured for heating over
an open flame heating source; and a lid having a gasket configured
to engage the open mouth of said inner container to provide a
liquid tight seal between the lid and said heatable inner
container.
2. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 1, wherein said lid
includes a closed top cover and closed sidewalls extending downward
from a perimeter of said closed top cover.
3. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 2, wherein said lid
further includes a stopper protruding downward from a bottom
surface of said closed top cover, and wherein said stopper is
configured to seat within said open mouth of said inner
container.
4. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 3, further comprising a
gasket disposed about an outer circumference of said stopper.
5. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 1, wherein said
insulated outer container is a double walled vacuum insulated outer
container.
6. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 5, wherein said
insulated outer container includes a support base connected to a
lower portion of said insulated outer container.
7. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 1, wherein said
heatable inner container includes a collar extending away from a
sidewall of said inner container.
8. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 7, wherein said
heatable inner container includes one or more handles attached to
said collar of said inner container.
9. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 1, wherein said lid and
said heatable inner container each include one or more
complimentary threaded structures for sealingly fastening said lid
to said heatable inner container.
10. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 1, wherein said
insulated outer container and said heatable inner container are
configured to be selectively positioned in a nested arrangement,
wherein when in said nested arrangement at least a portion of said
heatable inner container is disposed within an interior of said
insulated outer container by a bottom portion of said heatable
inner container being slidably engaged through an open top end of
said insulated outer container to a fully seated position within
said insulated outer container.
11. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 10, further
comprising: a friction ring disposed between an exterior surface of
said insulated outer container and a surface of said heatable inner
container, wherein said friction ring provides a predetermined
amount of sliding friction force between said inner container and
said outer container when said containers are in the nested
arrangement.
12. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 11, wherein said
predetermined amount of friction force between said inner container
and said outer container is sufficient to prevent a force of
gravity, acting in the direction of sliding movement between said
containers, from slidably moving one of said containers beyond the
fully inserted position with respect to the other of said
containers, when said inner container is fully inserted into said
outer container.
13. The insulated food jar assembly of claim 11, wherein said
friction ring is disposed about an upper end of said insulated
outer container, said friction ring having at least one fin
protruding beyond an exterior surface of said outer insulated
container, wherein said at least one fin is configured to contact
said heatable inner container and apply said predetermined amount
sliding friction force against said heatable inner container.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 61/708,417 filed Oct. 1, 2012, which is
incorporated herein by reference, and also claims the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/724,652 filed Nov.
9, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
[0002] Insulated food containers are generally disclosed herein
including an insulated food jar with a campfire or stove-heatable
inner container.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Traditionally, insulated food containers cannot be used to
heat food or beverages over a flame or other heat source, such as a
campfire or on a stove. Portions of the insulated container would
melt or otherwise be damaged by the campfire or stove. Typically, a
food or beverage is heated first in a separate pot or other
container and then the food or beverage is poured from the pot into
the insulated container for storage or transportation. If the food
in the insulated container is to be heated, it is generally
necessary to remove the food from the insulated container and place
it in a container that is safe for heating. Some insulated
containers permit heating of the food in a microwave oven, but even
these insulated containers cannot themselves be used to heat the
food or beverage that is stored therein over open flames from a
campfire or a stove.
[0004] The user who is camping may choose to eat the heated food,
or drink the heated beverage, directly out of the cookware, but in
doing so there is little protection from burning oneself on the hot
cookware, other than by careful handling of the cookware and
careful manipulation of the often flimsy handle attached to the
camp cookware.
[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for a food or beverage jar that
can be used to heat food or beverages contained therein by a
variety of heating sources, and thereafter is insulated for heat
retention and the safe transportation of the hot food or beverage
contained therein, without the worry of burning oneself on the
heated container.
SUMMARY
[0006] Disclosed herein is an insulated food jar assembly including
an insulated outer container, a heatable inner container that is
used to heat food or beverages and which slidably engages with an
interior of the insulated outer container, and a lid that sealingly
mates with the heatable inner container. The insulated outer
container helps to retain the heat within the heatable inner
container and also permits a user to safely carry the heatable
inner container without the risk of being burned by the hot
surfaces of the heated inner container.
[0007] In one embodiment, the lid includes a stopper that engages a
mouth and neck of the heatable inner container. The stopper
includes a stopper gasket that forms a liquid tight seal with an
inner surface of the heatable inner container. The stopper is
itself insulated so as to help prevent heat from escaping the
heatable inner container through the lid. The insulated container
can also be used to insulate cold items from a warmer
environment.
[0008] In another embodiment, the heatable inner container includes
a collar extending away from the heatable inner container as well
as one or more handles connected to the collar for carrying the
heatable inner container when the insulated outer container is not
being used, such as when the inner container is being placed on the
heat source or removed from the heat source. Attaching the handles
to the collar and spacing them apart from the sidewalls of the
heatable inner container, which sidewalls are heated up by the heat
source, allows the handles to remain at a cooler temperature than
the hot sidewalls and hot bottom of the heatable inner
container.
[0009] In another embodiment, the insulated outer container
includes a friction ring that engages with an inner surface of the
inner container's collar when the inner container is slid inside
the outer container, so as to provide a friction fit between the
inner and outer containers. In this manner, the inner and outer
containers generally cannot slide apart without the user slidably
pulling the heatable inner container out from within the interior
of the insulated outer container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an
insulated food jar with a campfire or stove-heatable inner
container in an un-nested condition.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the insulated food
jar with a campfire or stove-heatable inner container of FIG.
1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of an assembled
insulated food jar with a campfire or stove-heatable inner
container.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the insulated food jar
with a campfire-heatable inner container of FIG. 3.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the insulated food jar with
campfire or stove-heatable inner container, having the inner
container mated to the outer container and the lid of the insulated
food jar shown in an unmated exploded position.
DESCRIPTION
[0015] While the present invention is capable of being embodied in
various forms, the description below of several embodiments is made
with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be
considered as an exemplification of the claimed subject matter, and
is not intended to limit the appended claims to the specific
embodiments illustrated. The headings used throughout this
disclosure are provided for convenience only and are not to be
construed to limit the claims in any way. Embodiments illustrated
under any heading may be combined with embodiments illustrated
under any other heading.
[0016] The subject matter described herein is with the specificity
needed to meet statutory requirements. The inventors have
contemplated that the claimed subject matter may also take the form
of various alternate embodiments, to include different steps or
combinations of steps similar to those described herein, in
conjunction with other present or future technologies.
[0017] One embodiment described herein is an insulated food jar
assembly with a campfire or stove-heatable inner container.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 1, an insulated food jar assembly 10 is
disclosed in an unassembled condition. The insulated food jar 10
includes an outer insulated container 12, an inner food container
14 that slidably mates with the outer container 12, and a lid 16
that seals closed a mouth of the inner container 14.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment of the
disclosure herein, the outer insulated container 12 of the
insulated food jar assembly 10 generally takes the shape of a cup
having a closed bottom 18, closed sidewalls 20 extending upward
therefrom, and an open upper end 22 formed by the sidewalls. The
outer container 12 preferably has a circular cylindrical shape, and
is made from stainless steel. However, the disclosure of this
preferred embodiment should not be read to limit the shape of the
cup to only being circular cylindrical or made from stainless
steel. In alternate embodiments, the outer container may take
alternate shapes, such as having a square cylindrical shape, other
cylindrical shapes, or other shapes that are capable of
accommodating a nested inner container as will be disclosed further
herein. In addition, in alternate embodiments, the outer container
may be made of aluminum or other metallic or polymeric materials or
other materials without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the closed bottom 18
and closed sidewalls 20 of the insulated outer container 12 are
both double-walled vacuum-insulated sidewalls. The double-walled,
vacuum-insulated bottom and sidewalls are formed by a cup-shaped
interior shell 24 being seated inside of a cup-shaped exterior
shell 26, which exterior shell 26 is larger than the interior shell
24. The shells 24 and 26 are sealingly connected to each other at
their open top ends 28 such that together they define a chamber 30
there between. Any air or other gas may be evacuated from or pumped
out of the chamber 30 prior to sealing the two shells 24 and 26
together, thereby creating a double-walled, vacuum insulated outer
container. The interior and exterior shells 24 and 26 are both
preferably made from stainless steel, aluminum, or another material
of suitable rigidity sufficient to resist deforming under the
forces placed on the sidewalls by the negative pressures of the
vacuum within the chamber. In alternate embodiments, the interior
and exterior shells may be sized such that only the sidewalls, and
not the bottom, of the outer container are double-walled vacuum
insulated walls, without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure. The insulating space 30 between the walls of the double
walled container may contain a vacuum, partial vacuum or an
insulation material or may otherwise be insulated.
[0021] Referring further to FIGS. 1 and 4, in one embodiment, the
outer container 12 includes a support base 32 affixed over the
bottom 18 of the outer container 12. The support base 32 provides
the outer container 12 with a stable base upon which the outer
container 12 may rest on a table or other flat surface. In one
embodiment, the support base 32 may be made of plastic and have the
shape of a shallow cup that is snapped or otherwise fastened over
the closed bottom of the outer insulated container. In other
embodiments, the support base may be made of rubber, rubberized
plastic, rubberized metal, or other such materials that may provide
the outer insulated container with a non-slip or treaded surface at
the bottom end. In still further alternate embodiments, the support
base may have a tread pattern imprinted in or on an outer surface
thereof to provide further non-slip functionality to the outer
insulated container. The support base 32 may also include one or
more strengthening ribs or webs 34 projecting from an interior
surface 36 thereof. The strengthening ribs 34 provide structural
strength to the support base 32 and may rest against or near the
bottom surface 18 of the closed bottom of the outer insulated
container 12. The support base 32 may be removable so as to
facilitate easy cleaning of the outer insulated container 12, or
the support base 32 may be permanently affixed to the outer
insulated container 12.
[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the insulated container 10
includes a recessed groove 38 disposed in an outer surface of the
container's sidewall 20. The recessed groove 38 is located near the
upper open end of the insulated container 10 and is a continuous
groove that extends around the full exterior circumference of the
outer container 12. A friction ring or gasket 40 is seated in the
recessed groove 38. In one embodiment, this friction ring 40 is a
rubber ring having one or more fins projecting radially outward.
The friction ring 40 is configured to provide a friction fit
between the heatable inner container 14 and the outer insulated
container 12 so that, as will be explained in further detail below,
when the heatable inner container 14 is nested within the outer
insulated container 12, the fins of the friction ring 40 rub
against a portion of the heatable inner container 14 and prevent
the two containers 12 and 14 from sliding apart without
intentionally being pulled apart. The friction ring 40 may maintain
its location on the outer container by spring force resulting from
the ring 40 being stretched while seated in the recessed groove 38
and an interference fit with various surfaces of the groove.
However, the disclosure of the above embodiment should not be read
to limit the shape or configuration of the friction ring to a
rubber ring with fins seated in a recessed groove. Rather,
additional configurations of recessed grooves and friction rings
can be used to achieve the same purpose without departing from the
scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, alternate friction
ring configurations other than those disclosed herein may be used
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Furthermore, in alternate embodiments the friction ring may be
permanently bonded to the outer container within the recessed
groove, or bonded to the outer surface of the outer container
without the need for a recessed groove, depending on the
configuration, size, and shape of the friction ring and the desired
amount of friction between the outer and inner containers. The
friction ring may be made of rubber, silicone rubber, or any other
polymer that will achieve the purpose and functionality of
providing a friction fit between the inner and outer
containers.
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the heatable inner container 14
has a closed bottom end 42 and closed sidewalls 44 that extend
upward therefrom to form a cup and define a mouth 46 of the
heatable container 14. In a preferred embodiment, the sidewalls 44
of the heatable container 14 also define a neck 48 disposed
adjacent to the mouth 46 of the inner container 14. In one
embodiment, the neck 48 includes one or more threads formed therein
that are used to mate with one or more complimentary threads
located on the lid 16 of the insulated food jar assembly 10 for
sealing the lid 16 to the heatable inner container 14. In this
manner, the heatable inner container 14 generally takes the shape
of a jar. However, the disclosure of threaded structures should not
be read to limit the structures that are used to sealingly mate the
lid 16 to the mouth 46 of the heatable inner container 14 of the
insulated food jar assembly 10. In alternate embodiments, the neck
may include bayonet mounting features that mate with complimentary
bayonet mounting structures located on the lid of the food jar
assembly, or otherwise use additional mating structures and
methods, without departing from the scope of the disclosure
herein.
[0024] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the heatable inner container
14 includes a transition zone 50 disposed between the main portion
of the sidewall 44 and the neck 48. This transition zone 50 is the
portion of the sidewall 44 that reduces the diameter of the
sidewall 44 from the main food or beverage carrying portion of the
inner container 14 to the neck portion 48 of the heatable inner
container 14. In one embodiment, the transition zone 50 includes a
rigid sealing surface 52 against which a mated stopper gasket 54
disposed in the lid 16 forms a liquid tight seal to seal the inner
container 14 closed when the lid 16 is attached to the heatable
inner container 14.
[0025] In a preferred embodiment the heatable inner container 14
further includes a collar 56 connected to the sidewall 44 and
extending outward therefrom. In one embodiment, the collar 56 is
connected to the sidewall 44 adjacent to the threads, or other
locking feature, disposed in the neck 48 of the heatable inner
container 14. In one embodiment, the collar 56 extends radially
outward at 58, away from the sidewall 44 of the heatable inner
container 14, and then turns downwards at a predetermined angle,
for example 90-degrees, and extends at 60 in the direction of the
bottom 42 of the heatable inner container 14. In one embodiment,
one or more handles 62 are attached to the collar 56. In the
illustrated embodiment, a pair of the handles 62 is provided, one
on each side of the container 14. By providing handles 62 on the
collar 56, the handles 62 are separated from the sidewall 44 of the
heatable inner container 14 and are thus insulated to some extent
from the sidewalls 44 when the inner container 14 is heated. During
use, the handles 62 will thus remain cooler than the sidewalls 44
of the heated inner container 44.
[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the inner container 14 is made
from stainless steel. However, in alternate embodiments, the
container may be made from alternate materials, such as aluminum,
copper, or other such materials that permit the heatable inner
container 14, as well as the consumable contents that will be
stored therein, to be heated over an open flame, such as from a
campfire or gas stove, or to be placed on the heating elements of
an electric stove or hot plate or on some other heating means
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The
inner container 14 may be formed by draw forming processes and/or
other manufacturing methods, including welding of various
components, such as the collar 56 and/or handle 62, to the main
inner container body.
[0027] It will also be appreciated that alternate configurations of
the heatable inner container are contemplated without departing
from the scope of the disclosure herein. For example, while the
depiction of the heatable inner container 14 shown in FIGS. 1, 2,
4, and 5 shows the collar 56 being located between the transition
zone 50 and the neck 48 of the inner container 14, it should be
appreciated that in alternate embodiments, the collar may be
located at alternate locations without departing from the scope of
the present disclosure. For example, in an alternate embodiment,
the collar may be located about the mouth of the container,
extending radially outward therefrom. In this manner, with the
collar located at the top of the inner container, the entire inner
container, including the collar and handle, may be draw formed from
a single sheet of stainless steel without the need to attach
separate components thereto by other processes or subsequent
steps.
[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, the lid 16 of the
insulated food jar assembly 10 is generally in the shape of an
inverted cup. The lid 16 has a closed top 64 and one or more closed
sidewalls 66 extending downward from the outer edge of the closed
top 64. In a preferred embodiment, the lid 16 has the shape of a
circular, cylindrical upside down cup. A continuous backup gasket
68 is attached to and extends downward form the lower free edge of
the sidewalls 66. The lid 16 further includes a stopper 70
extending downward from the bottom surface of the closed top 64 in
the same direction as the downward extending sidewalls 66. The
stopper 70 is centered about the axial center of the lid 16 and has
a closed bottom end. The stopper 70 further includes one or more
threads 72 disposed in an outer circumferential surface that is
configured to mate with complimentary threads disposed in the neck
48 of the heatable inner container 14. However, as will be
appreciated, in alternate embodiments the stopper may include
bayonet fastening structures that mate with complimentary bayonet
structures disposed on the neck of the heatable inner container, as
opposed to threaded structures, without departing from the scope of
the present disclosure.
[0029] The lid 16 further includes the stopper gasket 54 disposed
about the lower free end of the stopper 70. In one embodiment, the
stopper gasket 54 is seated inside a groove disposed in the outer
circumferential surface of the stopper 70 at the bottom free end of
the stopper 70. The stopper 70 is configured to mate inside of the
neck 48 of the heatable inner container 14, with the stopper gasket
54 being configured to sealingly mate against the rigid sealing
surface 50 in transition zone of the heatable inner container 14,
so as to form a liquid tight seal there between in order to prevent
any fluids from leaking out of the interior space of the inner
heatable container 14. It should be appreciated that in alternate
embodiments the stopper gasket may be seated in a groove located in
the bottom surface of the stopper, with the stopper gasket mating
against a complimentary sealing surface located in the heatable
inner container, without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure. In still alternate embodiments, the stopper gasket may
be located at the base (or top) of the stopper 70 and seated in a
groove disposed in the bottom surface of the lid's closed top, so
that when the lid and inner container are mated, the mouth of the
heatable inner container presses against the stopper gasket to form
the liquid tight seal. Still further arrangements of the lid's
stopper gasket are contemplated which form a liquid tight seal with
complementary features in the heatable inner container, without
departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0030] The lid 16 and stopper 70 are preferably made of a heat
resistant plastic that will not melt in high heat. Alternatively,
the lid 16 and stopper 70 may be made from stainless steel, other
metals, or other polymers that can withstand high heat, without
departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In one
alternate embodiment, the stopper 70 is a hollow cup that has a
block of rigid insulation 72 inserted into its open top end. The
open end of the stopper 70 is then permanently and sealingly
attached to the bottom surface of the lid's closed top 64, so that
the insulation 72 is permanently encapsulated there between, with
the closed bottom end of the stopper 70 protruding downward from
lid's bottom surface 64, as previously disclosed. In this manner,
the block of insulation 72 inside the stopper 70 provides thermal
insulation, which will help prevent excess heat from the consumable
contents located inside the inner container 14 from escaping
through the lid 16, and additional structural rigidity to the
stopper 70.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, the insulated food jar assembly 10 is
show in its unassembled state. To use the assembly, food or liquid
beverages are placed inside the heatable inner container 14 through
the mouth 46 of the inner container 14. The inner container 14,
which in one embodiment is made of stainless steel, is then placed
over (or the bottom surface of the inner container is placed on) a
heat source such as a camp fire, camping stove or grill grate,
kitchen stove, or other similar heat source. The food or beverage
located inside the inner container 14 is thus heated, primarily by
conduction of heat through the bottom 42 and/or sidewalls 44 of the
inner container 14. The consumable contents in the heatable inner
container 14 are heated to the desired temperature, which could be
anywhere from room temperature to boiling, or any other desired
temperature. When the consumable contents have reached the desired
temperature, the user grasps the handles 62 of the inner container
14 and removes the inner container 14 from the heat source.
Referring generally to FIGS. 2-5, the inner container 14 is then
slid, bottom first, into the insulated outer container 12 so that
the inner container 14 is nested inside the outer container 12. The
insulated outer container 14 and the heatable inner container 12
are sized such that there is a relatively close fit between the
two, with little space between the respective sidewalls of the
mated inner and outer containers.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 4, when the heatable inner container 14 is
slid inside the insulated outer container 12, the
downward-extending portion 60 of the inner container's collar 56
also slides over the top 22 of the outer container's sidewalls and
around the friction ring 40 disposed therein. Thus, the top 22 of
the outer container 12 slides into the space that exists between
the exterior surface of the inner container's sidewall 44 and the
downward extending portion 60 of the inner container's collar 56.
The friction ring 40 disposed at the top of the outer container 12
engages with an interior surface of the downward extending portion
60 of the collar 56 to provide a friction fit there between. In one
embodiment, the friction ring 40 includes one or more flexible fins
that extend from a main portion of the friction ring 40 and make
contact with the interior surface of the downward extending portion
60 of the inner container's collar 56. The fins deflect as they
come in contact with the interior surface of the collar 56 and
create a friction fit there between. In alternate embodiments, the
friction ring 40 may be configured differently but still provide
for a friction fit between at least a portion of the inner and
outer containers so that they will remain nested until an exterior
force is applied to pull them apart. The friction that is created
between the inner and outer containers by the friction ring 40
engaging with the collar 56 on the inner container 14 is sufficient
to prevent the inner and outer containers 14 and 12 from sliding
apart without the user having to intentionally pull the inner and
outer containers apart. In this manner, the stainless steel inner
container 14 can be used to heat up food or other consumable
materials on a stove or over campfire, and can then be inserted
into the insulated outer container 12 for heat retention and safe
carrying of the inner container 14 by the user. The outer container
12 that holds the heated inner container 14 full of food or other
consumable materials provides an insulated barrier to both retain
the heat within the inner container 14 and food, thus keeping its
contents hot, while at the same time permitting a user to carry the
inner container 14 without worrying about getting burned.
[0033] If the user does not intend to immediately consume the food
or beverage contained inside the inner container 14 that is nested
within the insulated outer container 14, the user may sealingly
close the inner container 14 by attaching the lid 16 to the mouth
46 of the inner container 14. The lid 16 of the preferred
embodiment is screwed onto the top open end of the inner container
14 by inserting the stopper 70 of the lid 16 into the mouth 46 of
the inner container 14 and turning the lid 16 to mate the threads
72 disposed in or on the exterior side surfaces of the lid's
stopper with the threads formed in the neck 48 of the inner
container 14. In an alternate embodiment as previously disclosed,
the lid and/or stopper may include bayonet style features that mate
with complimentary features located on the inner container, or
other such similar mating features that are capable of sealingly
closing the inner container with the lid.
[0034] In the preferred embodiment, when the lid 16 is mated to the
inner container 14 to sealingly close the inner container 14, the
stopper gasket 54 that is disposed in the end of the stopper 70 is
seated against the rigid sealing surface 52 in the transition zone
50 of the inner container 14 to form a liquid tight seal there
between. In this manner the food and/or beverages contained within
the inner container 14 are prevented from leaking out of the inner
container 14. In addition, because the stopper 70 includes a block
of insulation 72 encased within the stopper 70, the act of
sealingly mating the lid 16 to the inner container 14 further
provides additional heat retention for the food and/or beverage
contained therein.
[0035] In addition, when the lid 16 is mated to the inner container
14, the backup gasket 68 that extends downward from the free end of
the sidewalls 60 of the lid 16 is pressed against an exterior
surface of the collar 58 extending from the inner container 14 and
forms a liquid tight seal there between. In this manner, should the
stopper gasket 54 ever be damaged or wear out over time through
excessive or improper use permitting the hot food or beverage to
leak into the lid 16, the backup gasket 68 provides an additional
seal that will prevent the hot food or beverages from leaking past
the lid and potentially burning the user, for example when
transporting the insulated food jar assembly 10.
[0036] Of course, the insulated food jar 10 may be used to store
and transport chilled foods or beverages which are to be consumed
in a chilled state or which are to be heated prior to consumption.
The present food jar assembly 10 has particular utility when used
to store or transport foods or beverages that are chilled during
storage and transport and then, prior to consumption, the food or
beverage is heated while still in the inner container 14, such as
by heating the inner container on a stove or campfire. It is
therefore unnecessary to transfer the food or beverage from an
insulated transport container to a different container for
heating.
[0037] The insulated food jar assembly 10 includes grip features
that are decorative as well as useful when opening the food jar 10.
For example, the base 32 of the outer container 12 has grip
contours that aid the user in obtaining a slip-free grip on the
outer container during removal of the lid 16 from the jar assembly
10 and/or during removal of the inner container 14 from the outer
container 12. The lid 16 has a grip contour 76 that likewise
provides a decorative feature that also assists the user in a
slip-free grip of the lid 16 during removal of the lid 16 from the
inner container 14.
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