Abstract:
A device includes three main receptacles having three coplanar openings at the top of the receptacles. The receptacles are of different sizes and contain different types of food for each meal. The volumes and size ratios of the receptacles are selected to define balanced food servings with a lower calorie value. A rotary scraper is used to remove excess food and thus control serving size.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention concerns a device for preparing balanced food portions with a controlled calorie value.  
         [0002]     Many slimming or maintenance diets are based on weighing foods to produce portions having an appropriate overall energy value.  
         [0003]     When the foods themselves have different energy values, it has until now appeared necessary to weigh each of the foods constituting the meal.  
         [0004]     Weighing is a tiresome and time-consuming operation, however, which makes following a diet correctly unlikely.  
         [0005]     At the same time, when the calorie value of the meals is reduced, it is necessary to guarantee a satisfactory food balance to avoid serious food disorders.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The problem addressed by the present invention is that of avoiding the drawbacks of the means used at present to determine portions in diets by proposing a new device that facilitates the preparation of food portions without having recourse to weighing.  
         [0007]     At the same time, the invention aims to ensure a satisfactory food balance of the portions prepared in this way using the device.  
         [0008]     The invention is also aimed at facilitating and improving the consumption of diet meals.  
         [0009]     To achieve the above and other objects, the invention proposes a device for preparing balanced food portions with a controlled calorie value, characterized in that: 
        the device includes three main cavities open at the top via three separate, substantially coplanar orifices,     a first main cavity has a volume greater than half the total volume of the three cavities,     a second main cavity has a volume less than the volume of the third cavity,     the device has a base surface adapted to rest on a plane support, and     the orifices are coplanar in a plane generally parallel to the base surface.        
 
         [0015]     The use of three main cavities enables each meal to be prepared with at least three food types, ensuring a satisfactory food balance. At the same time, the cavities have an appropriate volume that it suffices to fill with said foods in order to obtain an appropriate calorie value, without having recourse to weighing.  
         [0016]     The fact that the upper orifices of the cavities are coplanar significantly facilitates filling the cavities and controlling the quantities of foods contained therein.  
         [0017]     To achieve a good food balance, certain proportions of the respective volumes of the main cavities may advantageously be complied with. To this end, it may be provided: 
        a first ratio between the volume of the first main cavity and the total volume of the main cavities is from 50% to 70%,     a second ratio between the volume of the second main cavity and the total volume of the main cavities is from 12% to 24%,     a third ratio between the volume of the third main cavity and the total volume of the main cavities is from 15% to 30%,     the sum of the ratios is equal to 1, and     the total volume is from about 5 deciliters to about 14 deciliters.        
 
         [0023]     For a slimming diet, the chosen total volume will be close to 5 deciliters. For a maintenance diet for a sedentary user, the total chosen volume will be around 13 deciliters.  
         [0024]     Good results may be obtained by choosing a first ratio of approximately 55%, a second ratio of approximately 20%, and a third ratio of approximately 25%.  
         [0025]     The main cavities are preferably contiguous and form a plane continuous upper surface that includes the orifices.  
         [0026]     Filling the main cavities can be easily controlled by providing a scraper adapted to scrape the content of the main cavities level with the plane continuous upper surface.  
         [0027]     The scraper may be a cutter having a lateral cutting edge, for example, and mounted to pivot about a vertical pivot at the periphery of the device to cut and eliminate excess foods when filling the main cavities.  
         [0028]     Two movable additional cavities may advantageously further be provided, for example of the hollow spoon type with a parallelepipedal volume of defined capacity, a first movable additional cavity having a volume of about 6 cm 3 , and a second movable additional cavity having a volume of about 18 cm 3 .  
         [0029]     The main cavities may be fastened together, constituting a one-piece assembly, or consist of removable containers adapted to be fitted to a base provided with lateral retaining means for opposing lateral movement of the containers. This yields a kind of plate that can be used not only for preparing food portions but also for consuming the food portions.  
         [0030]     Another aspect of the invention provides for using the device as defined hereinabove for each of the three daily meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, by filling the cavities with foods chosen from a predetermined list. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0031]     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following description of particular embodiments thereof given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view from above of a first embodiment of a device of the invention;  
         [0033]      FIG. 2  is a top view of a scraper or cutter that may be fitted to the  FIG. 1  device;  
         [0034]      FIG. 3  shows the  FIG. 2  scraper or cutter from the side;  
         [0035]      FIG. 4  is a top view of a movable additional cavity of the spoon type conforming to one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0036]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the  FIG. 4  additional cavity;  
         [0037]      FIG. 6  is a top view of another movable additional cavity conforming to one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0038]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the  FIG. 6  additional cavity;  
         [0039]      FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view showing the various parts of another embodiment of a device of the present invention;  
         [0040]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a further embodiment of a device of the present invention;  
         [0041]      FIG. 10  is a view in section on the plane I-I in  FIG. 9 ; and  
         [0042]      FIG. 11  is a top view of the  FIG. 9  device when folded. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0043]     All embodiments of the invention provide a device comprising three main cavities A, B and C open at the top via three respective, separate and substantially coplanar orifices  1 ,  2  and  3 .  
         [0044]     As shown in  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 8 , for example, the main cavities A, B and C are in the shape of rectangular parallelepipeds of substantially equal height H and adapted to form a rectangle, when seen from above, after being assembled side-by-side.  
         [0045]      FIG. 9  shows another embodiment of the invention. The cavities B and C are of rectangular parallelepiped shape, whereas a portion of the periphery of the cavity A is circular. The cavities A, B and C are adapted to form, after being assembled side-by-side, an assembly that can be integrated into a base  4  of generally circular shape.  
         [0046]     In the  FIG. 1  embodiment, the main cavities A, B and C are joined together, forming a one-piece assembly.  
         [0047]     In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the main cavities A, B and C are removable containers that may be fitted into a base  4 . In this case the base  4  is provided with lateral retaining means to oppose lateral movement of the containers A, B and C when they are placed on the base.  
         [0048]     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , for example, the base  4  has a peripheral rib  5  defining an interior housing  6  of rectangular shape in which the containers A, B and C are a snug fit, as indicated by the respective arrows  7 ,  8  and  9 .  
         [0049]     Alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the lateral retaining means may be interchanged, with peripheral ribs on the lower face of the containers A, B, C, for example the ribs  15   b  and  15   c  of the containers B and C, capping a corresponding protuberance  16   b  or  16   c  on the upper face of the base  4 .  
         [0050]     Other male-female interengagement means may be used to serve the same function, as will be evident to the person skilled in the art.  
         [0051]     In the assembled configuration shown in  FIGS. 1, 8 ,  9  and  10 , the cavities A, B and C are contiguous and define a plane continuous upper surface.  
         [0052]     In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3 ,  8  and  9 , a scraper  10  is also provided (see  FIGS. 1 and 8 ) to level the content of the cavities A, B and C with this plane continuous upper surface.  
         [0053]     The scraper may be a cutter with a lateral cutting edge  10   a  ( FIG. 8 ), pivoting about a vertical pivot  11  at the periphery of the device at the height of the plane continuous upper surface of the main cavities A, B and C. Thus the scraper  10  can cut and eliminate surplus foods projecting above the plane continuous upper surface, guaranteeing that the main cavities A, B and C are correctly filled with foods, with no excess.  
         [0054]     The pivot  11  may advantageously be removable, for example inserted into a housing  4   a  in the base  4 . In the  FIG. 8  embodiment, the housing  4   a  of the base  4  is in the vicinity of the middle of a longer side of the rectangle formed by the area for receiving the main cavities A, B, C or interior housing  6 . This minimizes the length of the scraper  10  necessary to reach the whole of the upper surface of the main cavities A, B, C.  
         [0055]     Alternatively, the housing  4   a  may be in the vicinity of the center of the base  4 .  
         [0056]     The function of the scraper  10  is not to cut, but rather to prompt the user to remove excess food they have placed in the main cavities A, B and C intentionally or unintentionally. A handle  12  can facilitate holding the scraper  10  while it is pivoted about the pivot  11 .  
         [0057]     In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , there are further provided two movable additional cavities of the spoon type having two different volumes, namely a first movable additional cavity  13  and a second movable additional cavity  14 , the use of which is described later. The essentially movable character of the additional cavities  13  and  14  enables them to be filled easily and their content used easily, for example to pour salad dressing over raw vegetables or to spread butter or jam on bread.  
         [0058]     To ensure a good food balance of the portions, the ratios of the respective volumes VA, VB and VC of the main cavities A, B and C are selected in the following ranges: a first ratio RA between the volume VA of the first main cavity A and the total volume of the main cavities A, B and C is advantageously from 50% to 70%, good results being obtained with a first ratio RA of approximately 55%; a second ratio RB between the volume VB of the second main cavity B and the total volume of the main cavities A, B and C is from 12% to 24%, advantageously about 20%; a third ratio RC of the volume VC of the third main cavity C and the total volume of the main cavities A, B and C is advantageously from 15% to 30%, good results being obtained with a ratio of about 25%. The sum of the ratios RA, RB and RC is naturally made equal to 1.  
         [0059]     For a low controlled calorie value, enabling weight loss, the total volume of the main cavities A, B and C can be from 5 to 14 deciliters.  
         [0060]     For a balanced slimming diet, a total volume of about 5.5 deciliters is selected, for example. For a balanced maintenance diet suited to a sedentary user, a total volume of about 13 deciliters is selected.  
         [0061]     The device shown in  FIG. 8  or  FIG. 9 , i.e. with removable main cavities, may be suitable for both types of diet referred to above, for example by providing a first series of three main cavities A, B and C having appropriate heights to obtain a total volume of 5.5 deciliters and another series of three main cavities A, B and C of the same horizontal section but of different height to obtain a total volume of about 13 deciliters. The two series of main cavities are used successively on the same base  4 .  
         [0062]     It is also conceivable that the same base  4  could receive more than two sets of main cavities A, B and C, each set having a total volume selected to correspond to an appropriate calorific value. For example, the successive sets of main cavities can correspond to age ranges, according to the known usual requirements of persons.  
         [0063]     In one embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIG. 8 , the main cavity A may have the following approximate dimensions: length 10.2 cm, width 13.4 cm, height 2.2 cm; the cavity B may have the following approximate dimensions: length 9.2 cm, width 6.2 cm, height 2.2 cm; the cavity C may have the following approximate dimensions: length 9.2 cm, width 7.1 cm, height 2.2 cm. This combination has a total volume of about 5.5 deciliters.  
         [0064]     In another embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIG. 9 , the cavity B may have the following approximate dimensions: length 8.5 cm, width 6.7 cm, height 2.2 cm; the cavity C may have the following approximate dimensions: length 9.2 cm, width 7.6 cm, height 2.1 cm. The main cavity A has three sides of a rectangle of length 15 cm and width 7.5 cm and a fourth side that is a portion of a circle of radius 11.2 cm. This combination has a total volume of about 5.5 deciliters and rests on a circular base  4 .  
         [0065]     In the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 9 , the main cavities A and C have respective pourer spouts  17   a  and  17   c  in one corner. The bottom of the cavity A carries markings  18  delimiting a circular sector that may correspond to a slice of cake. The lateral wall of the main cavity A carries horizontal markings to indicate different volumes, for example 1 deciliter and 2 deciliters, enabling the user to consume 1 deciliter of milk with cereals or 2 deciliters of yogurt, for example, or vice versa.  
         [0066]     Two smaller movable additional cavities  13  and  14  may advantageously also be provided.  
         [0067]     The movable additional cavity  13  may have a length of about 2.6 cm, a width of about 2 cm, and a height of about 1.1 cm, with a handle  13   a  about 5 cm long, and about 1 cm wide, of rounded shape, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The second movable additional cavity  14  may have approximately three times the volume of the first additional cavity  13 , with a length of about 5.3 cm, a width of about 2.6 cm and a height of about 1.3 cm. Its shape is shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 .  
         [0068]     As shown in  FIGS. 8, 9  and  10 , the base  4  may have dimensions greater than those of the area occupied by the main cavities A, B and C in order to provide a peripheral rim  4   b  on which the movable additional cavities  13  and  14  may be placed, as shown by the arrows  15  and  16 . Each additional cavity  13  and  14  may be associated with lateral retaining means on the base  4 , for example ribs, male-female interengagement means, as described above with reference to the main cavities A, B and C.  
         [0069]     The lower face  4   c  of the base  4  constitutes a base surface adapted to rest on a plane support.  
         [0070]     Use of the device for preparing balanced portions of appropriate calorie value is described next.  
         [0071]     When using the device described above, the food introduced into each of the main cavities A, B and C is varied for each meal.  
         [0072]     For example, three daily meals may be prepared by filling the main cavities A, B and C with foods appropriate to each meal. The content of a device of the invention constitutes a complete meal.  
         [0073]     For breakfast, cavity A is used for portions supplying calcium, proteins, etc.; cavity B is used for portions supplying starch; cavity C is used for fruit-type foods supplying fibers and vitamins.  
         [0074]     For lunch, cavity A is used for foods providing fiber, such as vegetables; cavity B is used for starchy foods; cavity C is used for foods supplying proteins.  
         [0075]     For dinner, cavity A is used for vegetables, providing fiber; cavity B is used for starchy foods cavity C is used for fruit providing fiber and vitamins.  
         [0076]     Each time, a main cavity A, B or C is filled with the corresponding food and any surplus is then scraped off to conform to the volume of the cavity. For this it is sufficient to pivot the scraper  10  about its pivot  11 , holding it by the handle  12 .  
         [0077]     The table below sets out by way of example types of foods to be placed in each main cavity A, B and C during the day as a function of the meal concerned:  
                                                                         Breakfast   Lunch   Dinner                                    cavity A   semi-skilled milk,   raw vegetables;   soup; melon           yogurt   vegetables (steamed,               except for starchy               vegetables);               sauerkraut;               mushrooms       cavity B   bread, cereal   puree, potatoes,   bread               petit pois peas;               rice, pasta,               polenta; couscous,               chick peas, beans,               lentils       cavity C   fresh fruit,   eggs (2), omelet,   bananas; fruits           orange juice   all fish; all meat   in sugar syrup               (except bacon and   fresh figs, fresh               charcuterie)   grapes                  
 
         [0078]     Each main cavity A, B or C constitutes a measure that must be filled to the top. The fact that the cavities are filled to the top might at first seem a drawback, because of the risk of tipping over or of food overflowing while eating. However, this is simultaneously an advantage, as the user is therefore obliged to eat the foods slowly and steadily, instead of swallowing quickly. This results in improved assimilation of the food.  
         [0079]     With a device the total volume whereof is about 5.5 deciliters, the constitution of the three portions as defined in the above table leads to a balanced intake of food with a daily energy capacity of about 4600 kJoules (1100 kCalories).  
         [0080]     At breakfast, cavity A, with a volume of about 3 deciliters, contains milk or yogurt, which corresponds to an energy value of about 630 kJoules. Cavity B contains about 40 grams of bread or cereal, which corresponds to an energy value of about 420 kJoules. Cavity C contains about 120 grams of prepared fruit or orange juice, which corresponds to an energy value of about 200 kJoules.  
         [0081]     At lunch, cavity A contains about 220 grams of vegetables or raw vegetables, which corresponds to an energy value of about 240 kJoules. Cavity B contains about 80 grams of potatoes, purée, petit pois peas, rice, pasta, polenta, couscous, chickpeas, beans or lentils, which corresponds to an energy value of about 400 kJoules. Cavity C contains about 120 grams of meat, fish or egg, which corresponds to an energy value of about 1000 kJoules.  
         [0082]     At dinner, cavity A contains about 3 deciliters of soup or melon, which corresponds to an energy value of about 430 kJoules. Cavity B contains about 40 grams of bread, which corresponds to an energy value of about 420 kJoules. Cavity C contains about 120 grams of bananas, figs or fruit in syrup, which corresponds to an energy value of about 460 kJoules.  
         [0083]     With the above indications, the device of the invention provides about 1250 kJoules at breakfast, 1600 kJoules at lunch and 1300 kJoules at dinner.  
         [0084]     The two additional cavities  13  and  14  may add about 160 kJoules at breakfast, 250 kJoules at lunch and 210 kJoules at dinner. To this end, the first additional cavity  13  has a volume of about 6 cm 3  and may contain butter, peanut butter, spread, jam, for example.  
         [0085]     The second additional cavity  14  has a capacity of about 18 cm 3 . It may be used at lunch for salad dressing, which corresponds to about 250 kJoules. At dinner it may be used for cheese, which corresponds to about 210 kJoules. The handles  13   a  and  14   a  of the two additional cavities  13  and  14  may be identical, having a length of about 5 cm, with a curvature at the center to make them easier to hold.  
         [0086]     The main cavities A and C could advantageously be provided with pouring spouts, as shown in  FIG. 9 , for use with liquid foods.  
         [0087]     The device of the invention is particularly intended for persons suffering from excess weight. Seriously obese persons could use the device over a period of one year to lose 30, 40 or 50 kilograms. The device may be used with advantage by any slightly overweight person wishing to lose from 1 to 4 kilograms.  
         [0088]     The volume of the device may be chosen as a function of the size, weight, age and activity of the user. For sedentary activity, a device having a volume of about 5.5 deciliters enables rapid balanced weight loss and a device having a volume of about 13 deciliters enables the weight of the person to be maintained during a stabilization period.  
         [0089]     A priori, the device of the invention is designed for domestic use, to define food portions, whilst enabling foods to be taken directly from the device, as from a plate.  
         [0090]     In one possible application, the device may itself be a ready meal that can be heated in a microwave oven. The packaging then has the dimensions of the device, is adapted to be fitted to a base or used on its own, and is closed by a protective film.  
         [0091]     It may equally be envisaged that devices of the invention are used in diet restaurant chains with volumes adapted to the wishes of the clientele, for example corresponding to energy values of 1100 kCalories, 1300 kCalories, 1800 kCalories, 2200 kCalories, etc.  
         [0092]     In the context of use in diet restaurant chains, it appears advantageous to be able to stack prepared meal trays in order to facilitate storage thereof. Accordingly, the base  4  may be provided on its lower surface with male-female interengagement means of complementary shape to the main containers A, B and C on the upper face of the base. The packaging of the various elements after use may also be compacted as shown in  FIG. 11 : in this embodiment, the base  4  can be folded along a diametral line L into two half-disks and one of the half-disks receives the main cavity A, on which the main cavities B and C are stacked together, one within the other, and the additional cavities  14  and  13  are stacked together, one within the other.  
         [0093]     With the device of the invention, it is possible to eat bread contained in the corresponding cavity indicated above every day. If the bread is replaced with cereal, the energy value remains substantially the same.  
         [0094]     Of course, once the portions have been measured in the device of the invention, certain foods, such as cereal in milk, could advantageously be transferred into another bowl to prevent spilling.  
         [0095]     If cereals are chosen in the morning, the additional cavity reserved for butter may be used for cooking lunchtime foods.  
         [0096]     In the morning, the main cavity C reserved for prepared fruit may instead contain fruit juice.  
         [0097]     At lunchtime, the cavity A reserved for raw vegetables may instead contain cooked vegetables: carrots, cucumber, courgettes, green beans, peppers, ratatouille, sauerkraut (low fat), cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms. Starchy vegetables (potatoes, petit pois peas, etc) are excluded, however.  
         [0098]     The additional cavity  14  reserved for salad dressing may instead contain a light cream for spinach or a light sauce for fish or meat (béchamel sauce, white sauce, mustard sauce, tomato sauce, etc.). The cavity A will also have a different weight if a green salad or a carrot or cucumber salad is placed therein. It is important to vary the composition of the meals.  
         [0099]     At dinner, the cavity A is reserved for soup. Bread from the cavity B may be dipped therein. The cavity C has a volume that corresponds to a medium-size banana, which can be held in the hand to eat it.  
         [0100]     The present invention is not limited to the embodiments that have been explicitly described and includes variants and generalizations thereof falling within the scope of the following claims.