Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to food freshness monitoring systems, and more specifically to a system for keeping track of the date food was placed in a refrigerator so as to prevent the spoilage thereof prior to consumption. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     While grocery shopping, one must be constantly aware of product dating codes in order to ensure that safe and fresh food products are purchased. This practice, however, does not end at the grocery store. Rather, it is equally important to monitor the expiration date on products in the home to make sure that only the freshest non-outdated food is consumed. This is especially the case where prepared food or leftovers are placed in the refrigerator for future use. These foods are especially susceptible to deterioration and contamination over time due to the fact that, many times, they have set out at room temperature for some period prior to storage. Obviously, the containers used to store leftovers and the like do not carry any dating information and, as a result, are even more difficult to keep track of. As a result, there is a need for a means by which consumers can keep track and maintain a record of what foods in their refrigerators are the freshest, alerting them of potential problems associated with food aging in a manner that is easy to use and requires little effort on the part of the consumer. The development of the present invention provides this solution by the utilization of color coded indicia that correlate food containers with the date upon which they were placed in a refrigerator or the like. 
     A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, several references to food age recording devices and systems were discovered. However, these devices neither anticipate nor disclose any embodiment that would preclude its novelty and the utilitarian functionality of the features of the present invention. 
     Several patents describe methods of tracking and dating food storage through the use of data recorded on preprinted magnetic labels in conjunction with an electronic data storage and time recording means: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,160, issued in the name of Namisniak et al.; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,276, issued in the name of Namisniak et al.; and 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,509, issued in the name of Namisniak et al. 
     In these disclosures, the user enters the food type and date into the electronic recorder and prepares a corresponding label for the food container. When the food reaches an age where it is unfit to consume, a warning is displayed. Color coding between the recorder and the container labels is anticipated. All of these systems are unnecessarily complicated and, as a result, would be excessively expensive. The use of sticker labels on the food storage containers could pose a problem in that they can be difficult to remove after use. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,221, issued in the name of Linstromberg, discloses an inventory indicating device with a combination slidable food-type and date indicator that attaches to the storage bins in a refrigerator for recording the date of origin of the contents thereof. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,337, issued in the name of Linn discloses a method of tracking and dating food stored with color-coded flags wherein the date and contents of a food storage container are written down on a refrigerator door mounted note pad. Each entry on the note pad is associated with a distinct color. An adhesive label of a color that corresponds to the note pad entry is affixed to the container. Thus, the user can determine the contents and date of the contents of a food storage container based upon the color of the label thereon. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,858, issued in the name of Kramer et al., discloses a food storage container that incorporates a dating device for indicating the date upon which food was placed therein. However, there are no means for indicating the contents of the container. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,684, issued in the name of Murrah describes a food storage inventory bar coding system. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,916, issued in the name of Bradley et al. describes a chemical indicator for determining freshness of foodstuffs. 
     While several features exhibited within these references may be incorporated into this invention, alone and in combination with other elements, none address the specific problems addressed by the present invention, namely the disadvantages of using an adhesive labeling means, complicated electronic and manual data recording procedures/devices and excessive costs. As such, the present invention is sufficiently novel and different so as to make it distinguishable over the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a food age organization system that provides the user with a convenient means by which to label the leftover food containers in their refrigerators, indicating the date upon which it was placed therein. Simple in design, the system consists of circular magnets that are attached to the storage containers. When food is placed inside the container, a colored indicator is secured to the container via the magnet. The colored indicator corresponds to the day of the week that the food was stored and is indicated by a colored, magnetic indicator that is attached to a calendar hanging on the refrigerator door. By matching the color of the indicator on the container with the color on the calendar, one can use the system to determine the exact day upon which the food was first placed in the refrigerator. Additionally, the container indicators come in a variety of shapes that indicate the type of food in the containers. As a result, use of the food age organization system provides the user with a means by which to avoid the waste associated with food spoilage. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a food age organization system that will allow the user to accurately keep track of the age of foods stored in a refrigerator or the like. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a food age organization system that does not require the use of stickers or adhesive labels that are difficult to remove after use. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a food age organization system that is simple to use and inexpensive to produce, as an alternative to existing electronic food age recording devices and systems. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a food age organization system that utilizes color coded and/or textured age indication indicia that correspond to a calendar date, indicating the date upon which a food storage container was placed in a refrigerator. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a food age organization system that incorporates the use of a ferromagnetic securing device to secure age indication indicia to food storage containers. 
     Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a food age organization system wherein the age indication indicia are formed to a shape indicating the type of food stored in the food storage container. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a calendar for use in conjunction with a food age organization system, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a magnetic marker for use in conjunction with a food age organization system, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a magnetic marker affixed to a conventional food storage container, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 a  is a side view of a conventional food storage container having a magnetic marker affixed thereto, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of a variety of food specific magnetic markers for use in conjunction with a food age organization system, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the food age organization system depicting its use in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 10 
                 Calendar 
               
               
                 11 
                 Food Age Organization System 
               
               
                 12 
                 Hook Apertures 
               
               
                 13 
                 Date Squares 
               
               
                 15 
                 Magnetic Marker 
               
               
                 16 
                 Ferromagnetic Base 
               
               
                 17 
                 Colored Surface 
               
               
                 20 
                 Food Storage Container 
               
               
                 21 
                 Food Receptacle 
               
               
                 22 
                 Lid 
               
               
                 23 
                 Anchoring Plate 
               
               
                 25 
                 Food-Specific Magnetic Markers 
               
               
                 26 
                 Meat Marker 
               
               
                 27 
                 Poultry Marker 
               
               
                 28 
                 Fish Marker 
               
               
                 29 
                 Vegetable Marker 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, depicted is a calendar  10  used in conjunction with the food age organization system  11 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that, although a single month is depicted on the calendar  10 , it has been done solely for demonstration purposes and the appropriate month/year combination is to be used, depending upon the date of use. The calendar  10  is designed to be secured to a conventional refrigerator door (not shown) and is constructed having either a ferromagnetic backing material (not shown) or of a non-magnetic material of a weight and thickness such that conventional refrigerator-type magnets can secure it in place on the refrigerator surface. The calendar  10  also includes a pair of hook apertures  12  that provide an alternative securing means. The calendar  10  includes a plurality of large date squares  13  that correspond to the days of the month/year. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, depicted is a magnetic marker  15  for use in conjunction with the food age organization system  11 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The magnetic marker  15  is generally disc-like in shape, although other shapes are suitable, and consists of a ferromagnetic base  16  and a colored surface  17 . The colored surface  17  is achieved via painting, enamel coating, lamination, adhesive stickers, or other like conventional means, incorporating a variety of distinguishable colors. In an alternate embodiment, the magnetic markers  15  include a textured surface (not shown) that allows users with limited vision to distinguish them between one another. The magnetic markers  15  serve several functions in the use of the food age organization system  11  that will be discussed in further detail herein below. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 3 a , depicted is a conventional food storage container  20 . The food storage container  20  consists of a food receptacle  21  and a lid  22 . The lid  22  is adapted so as to allow for its use in conjunction with the food age organization system  11 . An anchoring plate  23  is affixed to the lid  22  using any conventional adhesive means. The anchoring plate  23  is of either a ferrous or ferromagnetic construction that allows for removably attaching a magnetic marker  15  thereto. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, depicted are a variety of food-specific magnetic markers  25  for use in conjunction with the food age organization system  11 . Secured to an anchoring plate  23  affixed to a food storage container  20 , the food-specific magnetic markers  25  are used to convey a food type identification of the contents thereof. These food types include, but are not limited to a meat marker  26 , a poultry marker  27 , a fish marker  28  and a vegetable marker  29 . Similar in construction to the magnetic markers  15  described herein above, the food-specific magnetic markers  25  consists of a ferromagnetic base (not shown) and a colored surface (not depicted in the figure). The colored surface is achieved via painting, enamel coating, lamination, adhesive stickers, or other like conventional means, incorporating a variety of distinguishable colors. In an alternate embodiment, the food-specific magnetic markers  25  include a textured surface (not shown) that allows users with limited vision to distinguish them between one another. Furthermore, the shape of the food-specific magnetic markers  25  is such that the associated food type is ascertainable by feel rather than sight. Configured as such, the food-specific magnetic markers  25  can replace the magnetic markers  15  secured to the anchoring plate  23  on the lid  22 , thus providing food type identification indicia on the food storage container  20 . 
     2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
     In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention and as shown in the Figures, especially FIG. 5, the food age organization system is used in the following manner. The calendar  11  is affixed to the door of a conventional refrigerator (not shown). When the user places a food storage container  20  inside the refrigerator, a magnetic marker  15  is placed on the lid  22 , magnetically affixed to the anchoring plate  23 . The user also places a magnetic marker  15  on the calendar  10  in the date square  13  corresponding to the present day of the month. The magnetic marker  15  placed on the food storage container  20  and the magnetic marker on the calendar  10  should be of the same color and/or texture. Thus, the user can determine the date upon which any particular food storage container  20  was placed in the refrigerator by correlating the color of the magnetic marker  15  on the lid  22  with the matching color on the calendar  10 . Accordingly, care should be taken so that the same color/texture is used on only one day so as to avoid confusion in ascertaining the date upon which the food was placed in the refrigerator. 
     In accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the food-specific magnetic markers  25  are used in place of the magnetic markers  15  on the lid  22  only, allowing the user to ascertain not only the date upon which the food was placed in the refrigerator, but also the type of food in any particular food storage container  20 . As described herein above, the shape of the food-specific magnetic markers  25  indicate a variety of food types. The colored and/or textured surfaces of the food-specific magnetic markers  25  allows the user to correlate the date upon which the food storage container  20  was placed in the refrigerator using the magnetic markers  15  in conjunction with the calendar  10 . 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown, illustrated, and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in this field that various modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is for this reason that the scope of the invention is set forth in and is to be limited only by the following claims.

Technology Category: 3