Receptacle for cooking food

Abstract: It comprises a base for containing the foods and a lid, which fits onto that base. The base is rigid and the lid is elastic, and both base and lid are made of materials resistant to temperatures within the range of about -20°C and about 200°C and the seal between the lid and the base being hermetic. Preferably the material of the lid is silicone and that of the base is ceramics. The lid 2 includes a lower flange 5, which fits onto the perimetral rim 4 and an exterior flange 6 separate from the aforesaid lower flange 5 in order to facilitate opening of the receptacle. The receptacle can be used both for storing foods in a freezer and for cooking them in an oven, on a cooker or in a microwave oven.

Description: This invention relates to a receptacle for cooking foods, which can be used within a wide range of temperatures, from the temperatures usual in freezers to the temperatures usual for cookers, while maintaining a hermetic seal. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Known in the art are receptacles for cooking foods which comprise a base for containing the foods and a lid which fits onto that base, manufactured using different materials, but presenting some limitations according to the material used. Firstly, there exist receptacles in which both the lid and the base are of ceramic material (such as porcelain) or of special glass (Pyrex type or the like) which withstand high cooking temperatures. However, said receptacles do not normally close hermetically since the lid is rigid and does not form a perfect fit with the base. This means that the gases given off by the products when they are cooking emerge from the receptacle, so that the smells of the products escape into the atmosphere or can mix inside the oven in which the cooking is carried out. Furthermore, receptacles of heat-resistant glass do not withstand sudden changes of temperature and cannot be transferred directly from the freezer to the oven, as in such situations they may even explode. Secondly, there are receptacles with the base made of any of the materials cited or of plastic and with the lid made of plastic material. Said lid does permit a hermetic seal, since it can adapt to the base. Moreover, said receptacles withstand low temperatures well and can be kept without problem in refrigerators or freezers, though they do have the disadvantage that they do not withstand temperatures exceeding 120°C. Patent US-A-4535889 describes a frozen food package according to the preamble of claim 1 having a semi-rigid plastic removable and replaceable dome lid for permitting reconstitution of the frozen food either in a conventional or a microwave oven. The dome lid has an annular seating flange overlapping and disengageably locked onto the rim of a rigid bottom tray by locking ribs spaced around the flange and engaged under the tray rim. A positive separating force can be applied to the tray and lid to quickly and easily unlock and separate them from one another without damage to either. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The receptacle of the invention manages to resolve the aforesaid disadvantages, while presenting other advantages which will be described below. The receptacle for cooking of the invention is characterised in accordance with claim 1. Due to this, the receptacle can be used both for storing foods in a freezer and for cooking them in an oven, on a cooker or in a microwave oven. It also withstands perfectly well the high temperatures of other household appliances such as dishwashers. Silicone is an elastic material that permits hermetic attachment of the lid to the base, is resistant to cold and to heat within a temperature range of -50°C and 300°C and is also resistant to ageing. Preferably, the lid includes a valve that permits outlet of the gases that form inside the receptacle. The pressure of the gases increases as the temperature increases and leads to opening of the valve. The valve prevents the pressure increase being able to cause deformation of the lid or its sudden opening leading to part of the food coming out. Thanks to the valve it is possible to cook the food without any need to take the lid off the receptacle, so that the receptacle can go directly from the freezer into the oven or onto the cooker without any intermediate handling. Advantageously, the lid of the receptacle is convex so that however much the base is filled with food, that food does not touch the lid. This convex shape also permits the existence of a mass of air that facilitates perfect cooking of the food. Also advantageously, the lid of the receptacle is transparent so that there is a perfectly good view of the food through it. The base can be made of any material that resists the aforesaid range of temperatures. It is preferably ceramic, though it can be made of glass. Advantageously, the base includes a perimetral rim around its mouth and the lid has a lower flange that fits onto said rim. This arrangement permits a perfect fit of the lid onto the base. Advantageously, both the end of the perimetral rim of the base and the lower flange of the lid form an acute angle, that of the flange being slightly smaller. Thanks to the acute angle of the flange being smaller, the flange exerts a force against the perimetral rim of the base that helps to secure the lid. Another characteristic of the receptacle of the invention consists in the lower flange of the lid having a lip at its end to ensure fixing of the lid onto the base. Finally, another characteristic consists in the lid including an exterior flange separate from the aforesaid lower flange in order to facilitate opening of the receptacle. When the exterior flange is bent upwards the lower flange opens and releases the lid from the base. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a longitudinal-section view of the receptacle of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lid separated from the base; and Figure 3 is a detail of the zone at which the lid fits onto the base. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION As can be seen in the figures, the receptacle of the invention includes a base 1 to contain the food and a lid 2 which fits onto said base 1. The base 1 is rigid and the lid 2 is flexible, which permits the lid 2 to fit tightly onto the base 1. In Figure 1 it can be seen that the lid 2 includes a valve 3 to permit outlet of the gases that form inside the receptacle. It can also be seen that the lid is convex in order to prevent contact with the food and permit the existence of a mass of air that facilitates cooking. In Figure 2 the lid 2 is shown separated from the base 1 and the valve 3 separated from the lid 2. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the lid is transparent so that the food inside the receptacle can be seen. The base 1 includes a perimetral rim 4 around its mouth. As Figure 2 shows, the receptacle has a plan section that is noticeably elliptical, with a larger longitudinal axis and a smaller transverse axis. From this figure it can be seen that the perimetral rim 4 is of unequal width, wider on the longitudinal axis and narrower on the transverse access. The wider zone 4a of the aforesaid rim 4 serves as a handle. In Figure 3 it can be seen that the lid 2 includes a lower flange 5 which fits onto the perimetral rim 4 thanks to the flexibility of the material of which it is composed. In said figure it can be seen that both the end of the perimetral rim of the base 1 and the lower flange 5 of the lid 2 form an acute angle, and the lower flange has a lip 5a at its end to ensure secure attachment of the lid 2 to the base 1. The lid 2 also includes an exterior flange 6 separate from the aforesaid lower flange 5 in order to facilitate opening of the receptacle. Both the base 1 and the lid 2 are made of a material that resists temperatures lying within the range -50°C to 300°C. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the material of the base 1 is ceramic, though it could also be glass or any other rigid material which withstands the range of temperatures described.

Claims: A receptacle for cooking foods, comprising a base (1) for containing the foods and a lid (2) which fits onto that base (1), wherein the base (1) is rigid and the lid (2) is elastic, and characterized in that both base (1) and lid (2) are made of materials resistant to temperatures within the range of -50°C and 300°C, the lid (2) being of silicone, and the seal between the lid (2) and the base (1) being hermetic due to the elasticity of the lid (2). The receptacle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the lid (2) includes a valve (3) that permits outlet of the gases that form inside the receptacle. The receptacle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the lid (2) is convex. The receptacle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the lid (2) is transparent. The receptacle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the base (1) is made of glass. The receptacle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the base (1) is ceramic. The receptacle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the base (1) includes a perimetral rim (4) around its mouth and the lid has a lower flange (5) that fits onto said rim (4). The receptacle as claimed in Claim 7, wherein both the end of the perimetral rim (4) of the base (1) and the lower flange (5) of the lid (2) form an acute angle, that of the flange (5) being slightly smaller. The receptacle as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the lower flange (5) of the lid (2) has a lip (5a) at its end to ensure fixing of the lid (2) onto the base (1). The receptacle as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the lid (2) includes an exterior flange (6) separate from the aforesaid lower flange (5) in order to facilitate opening of the receptacle.

Inventors: LLORENTE HOMPANERA JOSE MARIA, LLORENTE HOMPANERA, JOSE MARIA, Llorente Hompanera, José Maria
Applicants: LEKUE S L, LEKUE, S. L.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A47J36
IPC codes: A47J27, B65D43