Patent Publication Number: US-2010127056-A1

Title: Foldable containers in a catering trolley

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61117190 filed on Nov. 23 rd  2008, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to the field of handling garbage, and more particularly, to depositing rests in aircrafts, trains, buses, ships and the like. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
     Food served in aircrafts, trains, buses, ships and the like poises special problems to crew handling it. Especially, quick, clean and safe removal of food is required to make flights, cruises and drives more comfortable. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a set of at least one foldable container in at least one compartment of a catering trolley, each of the at least one foldable container comprises: a casing; a foldable closure; and a bottom insert, wherein the at least one foldable container is designed to fit into the at least one compartment of the catering trolley, wherein the foldable closure is arranged to have a closed state and an open state, wherein the foldable closure is arranged to fit closely the at least one foldable container in its closed state, and wherein operationally food rests and tableware are deposited into one of the at least one foldable container via the foldable closure in its open state. 
     Accordingly, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a set, wherein at least one foldable closure is funnel shaped. 
     Accordingly, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a set, further comprising a covering sheet arranged to operably wrap at least one of the foldable containers such as to seal it and prevent spillage of fluids therefrom. 
     Accordingly, according to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a set, wherein the casing, the foldable closure and the bottom insert of a plurality of foldable containers are packed together in a quantity used on an aircraft, train, bus, or ship. 
     These, additional, and/or other aspects and/or advantages of the present invention are: set forth in the detailed description which follows; possibly inferable from the detailed description; and/or learnable by practice of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be more readily understood from the detailed description of embodiments thereof made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are schematic illustrations of a foldable container according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are schematic illustrations of a system comprising a catering trolley with two foldable containers in different sizes, according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are schematic illustrations of the foldable container in a spread state, according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of an insert to the foldable container, in an unfolded state, according to some embodiments of the invention; and 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are schematic illustrations of the foldable container illustrating possible content of the container, according to some embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is applicable to other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are schematic illustrations of a foldable container  100  according to some embodiments of the invention. Foldable container  100  comprises a casing  104 , a foldable closure  105  and a bottom insert (not shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , see  FIG. 4 ). Foldable closure  105  is arranged to have a closed state ( 105 ) and an open state ( 105 A). Foldable closure  105 A is arranged to fit closely foldable container  100  in its closed state, such that closed foldable closure  105 A does not extrude from the catering trolley. In operation, food rests and tableware are deposited into foldable container  100  via foldable closure  105  in its open state. 
     According to some embodiments of the invention, foldable closure  105  may comprise a handle to ease its opening and closing. Foldable closure  105 A may be funnel shaped such that rests are easily poured into foldable container  100 . 
     Foldable container  100  may have handles  106  to allow its transportation. 
     Foldable container  100  may have different forms, fitting into compartments of a catering trolley, e.g., as used in aircrafts, trains, buses or ships. 
     Applied to a catering trolley with at least one compartment, foldable containers  100  may be designed to fit into the compartments. Foldable containers  100  may be used in any type of service trolley, and may be used to store any kind of products, as well as any kind of rests. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are schematic illustrations of a system comprising a catering trolley  110  with two foldable container  101 ,  102  in different sizes, according to some embodiments of the invention. The system is used for collecting items, e.g., rests from food trays from passengers, wherein the trays themselves may be stored separately, e.g., on top of catering trolley  110  and later be accommodates in catering trolley  110 . The system may be utilized to collect any kind of wastes or articles from any part of the aircraft, train, bus, or ship, or generally from any source of waste in the catering area. The system may comprise a set of foldable containers  100  fitting in number and form to the number and form of the compartments in catering trolley  110 . Two or more foldable containers  100  may be planned to fit a compartment in catering trolley  110 , according to the required storing capacity, waste separation requirements, number of crew operating the system, sorts of rests, etc. 
     According to some embodiments, either foldable container  100  and/or catering trolley  110  together with foldable containers  100  may be wrapped by a covering sheet  130  that may be selected to seal foldable containers  100  and protect from spillage of rests. 
     Foldable containers  100  may be stored in an unfolded state and folded after food is served in the aircraft, train, bus, or ship. Foldable containers  100  may then be folded and inserted into the catering trolley. A set of foldable containers  101 ,  102  may be stored as a kit, wherein the foldable containers in each kit fit all compartments in catering trolley  110 . 
     According to some embodiments of the invention. Foldable containers  100  may be integrated within catering trolley  110  in different ways. For example, foldable containers  100  may be connected to the inner sides of catering trolley  110  in a folded or unfolded states. Foldable containers  100  may line the inner sides of catering trolley  110  from within. Foldable containers  100  may be positioned in a contracted state within catering trolley  110  e.g., with their side interfolded, or separated into two parts, which may be integrated in operation. A mechanism may be used to activate foldable containers  100  placed within catering trolley  110 —e.g., a sliding mechanism or an inflating mechanism. 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are schematic illustrations of foldable container  100  in a spread state, according to some embodiments of the invention. Foldable container  100  is produced in the spread state. After production, foldable container  100  is folded and assembled according to the marked lines and tabs. Afterwards, foldable container  100  is brought to a flattened state which is operatively the standby state of foldable container  100 . In the flattened state foldable container  100  may be packed, eventually with accessories such as a funnel (such as foldable closure  105 B in a funnel design,  FIG. 3B ) or the bottom insert ( 120 , see  FIG. 4 ), and easily stored, e.g., attached to a catering trolley, or in a pack in an aircraft, train, bus, or ship. Foldable container  100  is then easily transformed into operating state by erecting its sides, e.g., by an aircraft, ship, bus or train crew. 
     Foldable closure  105  may or may not be an integral part of foldable container  100 . Foldable closure  105  may either be connected to casing  104  in spread form, or be mounted upon folding of foldable container  100 . 
     Foldable container  100  may comprise a cover  107  that may be used for further rests deposition or for insertion of products into foldable container  100 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of a bottom insert  120  to foldable container  100 , in an unfolded state, according to some embodiments of the invention. Folding lines and tabs are indicated. Bottom insert  120  may be folded to the form of a tray, inserted into foldable container  100  and be used for collecting fluids from the food rests. Bottom insert  120  may hold the fluids and enable a clean removal of the fluids. Bottom insert  120  may be curved inwardly such as to hold a specified amount of fluid. 
     Bottom insert  120  may be packed together with foldable container  100  as a unit for application in an catering or service trolley. The operative depth of bottom insert  120  may be adjusted to the expected amount of fluid in respect to the kinds of rests foldable container  100  is arranged to handle. 
     Bottom insert  120  may be part of foldable container  100  in the unfolded state, or be a separate part connectable to foldable container  100  before using foldable container  100  either in the folded or the unfolded state. Bottom insert  120  may be supplied in its folded or unfolded state. 
     Foldable container  100  may be made of paper, cardboard, plastic, or any other foldable, disposable or recyclable material. 
     Foldable container  100  may further comprise a funnel (not shown) arranged to allow easy deposition into foldable container  100 . The funnel may be attached to foldable container  100  in the unfolded form. The funnel may be produced separately from foldable container  100  and attached to it by gluing, attaching or assembling. 
     Foldable container  100  may comprise various openings for various purposes. For example, foldable container  100  may comprise an upper opening for pouring rests into foldable container  100  and a side opening for inserting products. 
     Foldable container  100  may be impervious and prevent leakage of fluids and spreading of smell. Foldable container  100  may further comprise means for neutralizing smells, for suppressing decomposition, for changing the viscosity of the fluids etc. Alternatively foldable container  100  may be used with dry garbage only. 
     Foldable closure  105  may be located on either the narrow side of foldable container  100 , on its wide side, or both narrow sides of foldable container  100 , in order to allow operational flexibility. Foldable closure  105  may be opened by pulling or by rolling aside a shutter. Foldable closure  105  may be opened by removing a cover. Foldable closure  105  may be located on the top of foldable container  100  and be opened by moving a shutter along rails. 
     Foldable container  100  may comprise several cells with respective openings. Each cell may be constructed to receive different kinds of rests, e.g., such as to support waste separation and ease further treatment. 
     Foldable container  100  may further comprise a bottom opening of quick removal of its content. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are schematic illustrations of foldable container  100  illustrating possible content, according to some embodiments of the invention. Foldable container  100  may comprise product reserves  140  ( FIG. 5A ) in an unused state, or rests  95  upon bottom insert  120 . 
     According to some embodiments of the invention, foldable containers  100  may be used in sets that fir in number and formation of foldable containers  100  certain configurations of catering trolleys  110 . Sets of casings  104 , foldable closures  105  and bottom inserts  120  of several foldable containers  100  may be packed together in a quantity used on an aircraft, train, bus, or ship. Many foldable containers  100  may be packed in an unfolded state and tied together by a band. 
     According to some embodiments of the invention, foldable container  100  may further comprises a plurality of tabs  108  arranged to allow folding foldable container  100  to an operational state. Tabs  108  may be arranged to allow sealing foldable container  100 . 
     According to some embodiments of the invention, foldable containers  100  may be removed from catering trolley  110  with rests  95  or after removing rests  95 . In both cases, foldable container  100  is sealed to prevent leakage of fluids from rests  95 . 
     In the above description, an embodiment is an example or implementation of the inventions. The various appearances of “one embodiment,” “an embodiment” or “some embodiments” do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiments. 
     Although various features of the invention may be described in the context of a single embodiment, the features may also be provided separately or in any suitable combination. Conversely, although the invention may be described herein in the context of separate embodiments for clarity, the invention may also be implemented in a single embodiment. 
     Reference in the specification to “some embodiments”, “an embodiment”, “one embodiment” or “other embodiments” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least some embodiments, but not necessarily all embodiments, of the inventions. 
     It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is not to be construed as limiting and are for descriptive purpose only. 
     The principles and uses of the teachings of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the accompanying description, figures and examples. 
     It is to be understood that the details set forth herein do not construe a limitation to an application of the invention. 
     Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out or practiced in various ways and that the invention can be implemented in embodiments other than the ones outlined in the description above. 
     It is to be understood that the terms “including”, “comprising”, “consisting” and grammatical variants thereof do not preclude the addition of one or more components, features, steps, or integers or groups thereof and that the terms are to be construed as specifying components, features, steps or integers. 
     If the specification or claims refer to “an additional” element, that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional element. 
     It is to be understood that where the claims or specification refer to “a” or “an” element, such reference is not be construed that there is only one of that element. 
     It is to be understood that where the specification states that a component, feature, structure, or characteristic “may”, “might”, “can” or “could” be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included. 
     Where applicable, although state diagrams, flow diagrams or both may be used to describe embodiments, the invention is not limited to those diagrams or to the corresponding descriptions. For example, flow need not move through each illustrated box or state, or in exactly the same order as illustrated and described. 
     The descriptions, examples, and materials presented in the claims and the specification are not to be construed as limiting but rather as illustrative only. 
     Meanings of technical and scientific terms used herein are to be commonly understood as by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs, unless otherwise defined. 
     The present invention may be implemented in the testing or practice with methods and materials equivalent or similar to those described herein. 
     Any publications, including patents, patent applications and articles, referenced or mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in the description of some embodiments of the invention shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of some of the preferred embodiments. Other possible variations, modifications, and applications are also within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be limited by what has thus far been described, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.