Abstract:
Disclosed is a food labeling apparatus that contains a power supply, a supply of printable media, a clock, a controller, and a single-action actuator that, upon activation by a user, immediately produced a dated label for application to a food container and subsequent storage. The method of storing perishable food with the labeling apparatus includes the steps of maintaining information regarding a current date, and in response to only a single action being performed, printing a dated label bearing indication that is indicative of the current date. The preferred single-action actuator is a momentary contact, normally-open switch.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to storing food and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for dating and storing perishable food.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART  
         [0002]    [0002]FIG. 1 is a fanciful depiction of a food item  200  being stored in a food container  205  and then stored in a refrigerator  220 . The food item  200  is intended to represent all variety of food items, not just leftovers. The food container  205  is shown as a plastic storage container, but food containers relevant to this invention include all variety of containers such as the original retail packaging, boxes, cartons, plastic bags, plastic wrap, foil, bottles, jars, Tupperware™, Corningware™, and so on. The refrigerator  220  is intended to represent any suitable storage arrangement including refrigerated storage, frozen storage, and dry storage (e.g. a pantry or a wine cellar).  
           [0003]    [0003]FIG. 2 is a fanciful depiction of leftovers  200  first having been placed into a food container  205  consisting of a plastic bowl  211  and then sealed with a lid  212 . As is often the case in restaurants and homes alike, conspicuously missing from the food container  205  is any indication of the date of storage.  
           [0004]    The safe and cost efficient storage of perishable foot items is a problem for consumers and business owners. The problem arises from the fact that it takes too much effort to date the perishable food items before they are stored so that later, when the item is being considered for use, an informed decision can be made as to its freshness and suitability for use or its qualification for disposal.  
           [0005]    Some restaurant operators, for example, try to date perishable food items by hand-writing the date of storage onto an adhesive label peeled from a supply of blank labels. That approach, however, is fraught with difficulty in that it takes some degree of effort and is subject to human error and human oversight. Some employees, in other words, are apt to omit this labeling step because of the time and effort involved. In addition, it is sometimes difficult to read a particular person&#39;s writing.  
           [0006]    Consumers are even more likely to store perishable food items in a haphazard manner—applying the time tested “smell test” at a later date rather than relying on any date information. Some consumers endeavor to manually label their perishable food items, using an indelible pen, for example. Consistently labeling of this nature is hit and miss at best. Moreover, while a plastic bag may be written on directly, it is not practical to write on a regular dishes, pots and pans, or washable and re-usable food containers like those made by Tupperware™.  
           [0007]    The problem applies to all varieties of food items contained in all variety of food containers. Examples of perishable food items that are amenable to labeling include: packaged meat (beef, poultry, and fish); fresh and purchased juices; home cooked food and leftovers that are stored for later use in the freezer or in the refrigerator in their original containers or in plastic bags, plastic containers, or the like; previously frozen items that have been thawed and must be used within a reasonable period of time; and so on and so forth.  
           [0008]    Some food items do come with a “use by” or “open by” date, but that is often not the case and, even when that date it provided, it is often not useful for providing date information because the food item (e.g. milk) is used as an ingredient in another dish that is then stored in a new food container.  
           [0009]    Prior inventors have developed systems related to storing perishable food items. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,276 entitled “FOOD INVENTORY SYSTEM”, the inventors Namisniak et al. disclose a method and device that is directed to tracking the “eat by” date of multiple food items using a multi-line device with multiple countdown counters. The Namisniak et al. device is perhaps overly complicated for the task at hand.  
           [0010]    General purpose labeling machines certainly exist, but they require a great deal of effort to operate and are unlikely to be used. In other words, it is impractical to expect somebody who is right then and there ready to store a perishable food item to take the time and effort to type in the date and time by successively pressing a series of alphanumeric buttons and then press yet another button to print the label, all while holding the food item that is to be stored. The user could, of course, put the food item down and go through the tedious process of preparing a label on a general purpose labeling machine, but as with the “manual” labeling approaches described above, the time and effort requirements of this approach make it likely that the label with never be made.  
           [0011]    Even if one were determined enough to apply a conventional, tediously prepared label from a currently available labeling machine, there is also the problem of later removing that label from the food container.  
           [0012]    There remains a need, therefore, for method and apparatus for dating and storing perishable food that addresses and resolves the above-described problems.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0013]    In a first aspect, the invention resides in a food container labeling apparatus adapted for producing a dated label that is applied to a food container, comprising: a power supply; a supply of printable media; a printing means connected to the power supply for printing indicia on the printable media; a clock means for providing a current date; a single-action actuator that, in response to performance of only a single action, generates an actuator control signal; and a controller for producing a dated label in response to the actuator control signal by causing the printing means to print the current date on the printable media.  
           [0014]    In a second aspect, the invention resides in a food container labeling apparatus adapted for producing a dated label that is applied to a food container, comprising: a power supply; a supply of printable media that is water soluble; a printing means connected to the power supply for printing indicia on the printable media; a clock means for providing a current date; a button and an associated momentary contact switch for immediately generating an actuator control signal in response to a single-action actuation of the button; and a controller for producing a dated label in response to the actuator control signal by causing the printing means to print the current date on the printable media, whereby dated label communicates a date associated with the food container and dissolves away when the food container is washed.  
           [0015]    In a third aspect, the invention resides in a method of printing a dated label for storing perishable food comprising the steps of: maintaining information regarding a current date; and in response to only a single action being performed printing a dated label bearing indicia that is indicative of the current date, whereby the dated label is printed without a user having to know the current date and without having to type in indicia a that is indicative of the current date.  
           [0016]    In a fourth aspect, the invention resides in a method of storing perishable food comprising the steps of: providing a food storage container; single-handedly and substantially-immediately actuating a label printing apparatus to produce a dated label; single-handedly grasping the dated label; applying the dated label to the food storage container; and storing the food storage container with the dated label for later consideration for use based on the dated label.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    The just summarized invention can be best understood with reference to the following description taken in view of the drawings of which:  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a fanciful diagram illustrating how a perishable food item (a leftover sandwich in this case) is placed into a food container (a plastic bowl in this case) and then stored (in a refrigerator in this case);  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing how perishable food is typically placed into a food container and then sealed for storage without any date;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is block diagram of a first preferred apparatus according to this invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 4A, 4B, and  4   c  are depictions of dated labels created by the apparatus of FIG. 1;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a container bearing a dated label as produced by the apparatus of FIG. 3;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIGS. 6A, 6B,  6 C, and  6 D are a series of perspective views showing how a user may conveniently push a single-action actuator to produce a dated label, grasp the dated label, apply the dated label to the container, and then store the container with dated label in a refrigerator;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 7A, 7B,  7 C, and  7 D are a series of close-up perspective views corresponding to FIGS. 6A, 6B,  6 C, and  6 D, showing more clearly the steps of push-grasp-apply-and-store;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first preferred labeling apparatus of FIG. 3;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the labeling apparatus of FIG. 8 with the hinged door open and the battery cover removed;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the labeling apparatus of FIG. 8 with its hinged door open and its ribbon cartridge removed, and with its battery cover open and its batteries removed;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 11 is a rear perspective view of the labeling apparatus of FIG. 8;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 12 is a rear, partially exploded perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 8 with its hinged door open;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIGS. 13A, 13B and  13 C are perspective views of the preferred single-action actuator  70  and two alternative actuators  170  and  270 ;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIGS. 14A, 14B,  14 C and  14 D are perspective views of various embodiments of the apparatus including a preferred embodiment  10  that is magnetically secured to a refrigerator, a built-in embodiment  110  that is integrated into the refrigerator, a counter-top embodiment  210 , and a plug-in embodiment  310 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 is block diagram of a first preferred food container labeling apparatus  10  according to this invention. The preferred labeling apparatus  10 , and methods of use related thereto, uniquely enable a single-action generation of a dated label  43  in a quick and efficient, nearly effortless manner that makes it more likely that users will consistently label food containers that hold perishable food items.  
         [0033]    Many embodiments are possible. As shown in FIG. 3, however, the preferred apparatus generally comprises a housing  20  that contains a power supply  30 , a supply of printable media  40  (e.g. a continuous supply of labels provided in a rolled tape format), a means  50  for printing indicia on the printable media  40 , a means  60  for providing a current date (and perhaps time) (e.g. a so-called clock/calendar), a single-action actuator  70  that, in response to performance of only a single action, generates an actuator control signal  71 , and a controller  80  for producing a dated label  43  in response to the actuator control signal  71  by causing the printing means  50  to print the current date provided by the clock means  60  onto the printable media  40  and, thereby, producing a dated label  43  from an output slot  90 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIGS. 4A, 4B and  4 C depict representative date and time indicia that may be printed on a dated label  43  produced in accordance with this invention. As shown, the dated label  43  may contain just the date, or it may contain the date and time. The exact format is not critical, those shown being but three examples. It is possible to automatically print other indicia along with the date and/or time, but it is important to not require any significant effort on the part of the user during use of the apparatus  10 .  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 5 depicts a food storage container  205  that is like those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but it now carries a dated label  43  that was conveniently and quickly produced in accordance with the apparatus and method of this invention. As a result, the food storage container  205  may now be safely stored for later consideration as to safe and timely use.  
         [0036]    Further details as to the construction and operation of the preferred food labeling apparatus  10  may be considered by returning to FIG. 3.  
         [0037]    The power supply  30  may be of any suitable design including one or more batteries  12  (ee FIGS. 10 and 12) or direct AC power from a conventional outlet (See FIG. 14D). It is also possible, of course, to provide power via a remote transformer that connects to the apparatus  10  via a suitable jack (See FIG. 8 and the input jack labeled “AC Input”). Where batteries are used, the type of battery is immaterial. The batteries  12 , for example, may be rechargeable batteries of nickel cadmium construction or nickel metal hydride construction or single use batteries of alkaline construction.  
         [0038]    The printable media  40  is preferably provided in the form of a continuous ribbon of label material  41  contained, for example, in a cartridge  100  (See FIGS. 9 and 10) for easy replacement. The dated label  43  may be cut from the label material  41  without any leftover substrate or the dated label may be peeled away from a substrate (that may or may not remain in the apparatus  10 ). In either case, the dated label  43  should be ready for immediate application to the food container  205 . The label material should have a peel-off adhesive so that it is easily removed from the food container or, alternatively, be fabricated from water soluble materials so that the dated label  43  will dissolve while the food container is held under running water or is being washed in the dishwasher.  
         [0039]    The preferred means for printing comprises a printing mechanism  50  of any desired construction that is suitable for use with the chosen media  40 . The precise construction of the printing mechanism does not form a part of this invention as the implementation details of such mechanism are well known or readily ascertained by those of ordinary skill in the art. The printing means  50 , in fact, should be regarded as including printing mechanisms of yet to be invented construction because it is only necessary that the printing mechanism respond to the controller  80  (discussed above and in more detail below) by printing the appropriate indicia onto the printable media  41  in order to create the dated label  43 .  
         [0040]    The clock means  60  for providing a current date preferably consists of an ordinary clock/calendar that outputs a digital representation of a date and/or time. The clock means  60  may be powered by the power supply  30  or, given its relatively low power usage relative to that of the print mechanism  50 , it may have its own separate power supply in order to reduce the probability of it having to be reset. The time, as opposed to the date, may be regarded as optional, but it is likely that consumers will find the clock useful if displayed for ready observation.  
         [0041]    The single-action actuator  70 , as noted above, generates an actuator control signal  71  in response to performance of only a single action. One push of the button will substantially immediately dispense a dated label  43  that can then be applied to any desired food container. In the preferred embodiment of the food labeling apparatus  10 , the single-action actuator  70  comprises a single button in the form of a momentary contact, normally-open switch. As suggested by FIGS. 13A, 13B, and  13 C, however, many different varieties of single-action actuators are possible. FIG. 13A shows the single-action actuator  70  in the form a a single-button single-touch switch  70  like that shown in FIG. 3. FIGS. 13B and 13C, however, depict two alternative embodiments. FIG. 13A shows a single-action actuator  170  consisting of two buttons  171  and  172  that must be simultaneously depressed . FIG. 13C shows a single-action actuator  270  with a single button that must be tapped twice in rapid succession. Many other varieties of single-action actuators, of course, may be used in accordance with the teaching of this invention. For example, the labeling apparatus  10  could be nearly hands-free by including suitable circuitry for responding to a spoken sound such as “print label”.  
         [0042]    The controller  80 , as shown, receives date and/or time information provided by the clock/calendar  60  and the actuator control signal  71  provided by the single-action actuator  70 . In operation, and in response to user&#39;s actuation of the single-action actuator  70  and the resulting actuator control signal  71 , the controller  80  communicates with the printing mechanism  50  and commands it to print indicia corresponding to the date and/or time onto the dated label  43 . The controller  80  also communicates with a display  11  (discussed below) in order to present the user with the current date for setting and/or confirmation purposes. The preferred controller is a microcontroller with sufficient ROM and RAM as required, but any suitable control electronics may suffice such as, but not limited to, various programmable logic devices.  
         [0043]    As also shown in FIG. 3, the preferred apparatus  10  further comprises an optional display  11  that may be used for inputting or adjusting the date and time and for later confirming the date and time is correct. The intended display  11  is an LCD display, but if a display is included, any suitable display may be used.  
         [0044]    Where the printable media  40  comprises a continuous ribbon of label material  41 , as presently preferred, the output slot  90  may also contain means  91  for separating the dated label  43  from the continuous ribbon of label material. Suitable separating means  91  include an electromechanical cutting mechanism (automatic) or a serrated tear bar (manual). Other approaches are possible.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIGS. 6A, 6B,  6 C and  6 D, and corresponding closeup FIGS. 7A, 7B,  7 C and  76 D, are a parallel series of perspective views showing a method of storing perishable food that is enabled by the food labeling apparatus  10  of this invention. The method, in shorthand, uniquely and conveniently consists of “push”, “grasp”, “apply” and “store”. Significantly, the method is so convenient that users are likely to actually label the food items in a continuous and consistent manner. The result is more efficient and safe use of food items. In other words, by having a dated label  43  on the food container  205 , it will be easy to later decide whether to eat the leftovers or throw them away.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIGS. 6A and 7A show how a user may conveniently push the single-action actuator  70  to produce a dated label  43 . Significantly, due to the single-action actuator  70 , the user may be holding a food container  205  in one hand and activate the single-action actuator  70  with his free hand.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIGS. 6B and 7B show how a user may then grasp the dated label  43 , again all while holding a food container  205 . The dated label  43  may emerge pre-separated, may be cut using an automatic electromechanical separator  91 , or may require the user to pull the dated label  43  along a serrated edge  91  as a continuation of the grasping step.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIGS. 6C and 7C show how the user may apply the dated label  43  to the container  205 , again with the user&#39;s free hand.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIGS. 6D and 7D, finally, show how the user may store the container  205  with dated label  43  in a refrigerator  220 . The method, again, is uniquely as convenient as push, grasp, apply and store.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIGS. 8, 9,  10 ,  11  and  12  are various views of the internal and external details of a presently preferred food labeling apparatus  10  according to this invention. As shown, the preferred food labeling apparatus  10  is relatively small in size and generally comprises a housing  20  that contains the functional blocks discussed above and depicted in FIG. 3. Because the preferred apparatus  10  is small in size, and because it contains the single-action actuator  70  discussed above, a person can hold a food container in one hand while printing a dated label with the other. It may be convenient, however, to place or mount the apparatus in certain convenient location as depicted in FIGS.  14 A- 14 C discussed below.  
         [0051]    As shown in FIG. 8, the housing  20  includes a side wall portion  21 , a fixed upper portion  22 , and a hinged door portion  23 . The single-action actuator  70  is present at the upper left of the fixed upper portion  22 . The display  11  is immediately below the actuator  70 . The output slot  90  is located in the housing&#39;s side wall  21 . The hinged door portion  23  contains a window  24  to permit the user to see how much labeling media remains.  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 9 shows the apparatus  10  of FIG. 8 with the hinged door portion  23  pivoted open, thereby revealing the preferred embodiment&#39;s use of a disposable cassette  100  similar to the cassettes already used in other general purpose labeling machines. The cassette  100  is preferably designed so that the label&#39;s backing will be peeled off and returned to the cassette  100 , leaving the user with a sticky, ready-to-use label. The printing mechanism  50  is visible adjacent to the cassette  100 , next to the output slot  90 .  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the labeling apparatus  10  with the cassette  100  floating above the advance mechanism (not numbered), and with a plurality of batteries  12  and a suitable battery compartment cover  24  floating below the overall apparatus.  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the rear of the labeling apparatus with the battery compartment cover  24  in place and FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view with the hinged door portion  23  opened and with the battery compartment cover slid to the right to expose the batteries  12 .  
         [0055]    The preferred labeling apparatus  10  depicted by FIGS.  8 - 12  is but one design. The overall appearance and the location of and specific type and construction of its constituent elements may be varied without departing from the scope and spirit of the below appended claims. For example, the labeling apparatus  10  could be designed to incorporate decorative faceplates that come in different colors or themes. In addition, an industrial version more suitable for commercial restaurant use could be constructed with more regard to durability than to aesthetics.  
         [0056]    [0056]FIGS. 14A, 14B,  14 C and  14 D depict various further embodiments of a food labeling apparatus according to this invention.  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 14A, in particular, shows the first preferred labeling apparatus  10  secured to refrigerator by a suitable means. Examples includes adhesive tape or magnetic strips.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 14B shows a second embodiment of a labeling apparatus  110  incorporated into the refrigerator itself.  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 14C shows a third labeling apparatus  210  that resides on the surface of a countertop and that is evidently battery powered. The labeling apparatus  210  may actually be the same apparatus  10  that is secured to the refrigerator, it being the user&#39;s option where to mount it.  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 14D, lastly, depicts an embodiment  310  that plugs directly into an AC outlet so that it resides above the countertop and so that batteries are not needed. It would be desirable, in this context, to provide the apparatus  310  with a suitable “swing-out” plug so that the device is mounted as shown as an option.  
         [0061]    The above description is of a preferred embodiment of the invention, the scope of which should not be limited thereby but rather should be interpreted in light of the scope and spirit of following claims.