Hermetic container for frozen food preservation and microwave oven thawing

Abstract

A food container, particularly a hermetic container for preserving foods in refrigerators and freezers and for thawing in a microwave oven, comprising a base body with which a lid can be associated hermetically, the lid forming a groove that is open toward the edge of the base body. The lid has a substantially rigid central portion with which a substantially elastic peripheral portion that forms the groove is associated. The central portion reaches, in a radial direction, no further than the region delimited by the edge.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A hermetic food container for preserving frozen foodstuff and for thawing the frozen foodstuff in a microwave oven, comprising: a base body having an edge delimiting an edge region thereof; a lid hermetically connectable to said base body; a groove provided at said lid that is open toward the edge of said base body, wherein said lid comprises a substantially rigid central portion and a substantially elastic peripheral portion that forms said groove, which is connected to said rigid central portion, with said rigid central portion extending, in a radial direction, no further than the edge region delimited by said edge.  
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said base body comprises lateral walls inclined outwardly and having, in transverse cross-section, a substantially sinusoidal surface shape.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said lateral walls comprise, on lateral surfaces thereof, satin-finished bands alternated with clear bands.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said sinusoidal surface shape is constituted by curved portions that have internal radii of curvature substantially equal to external radii of curvature thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said base body is provided with an outer rim, said edge of said base body being substantially straight and arranged on continuation of said lateral walls, proximate to said edge.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein said substantially rigid central portion is provided peripherally with a protruding tab on which said peripheral portion made of flexible material is applied.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein said peripheral portion made of flexible material comprises an inner lip and an outer lip that delimit said groove, said inner lip being hermetically connectable with an inner surface of said edge and said outer lip being connectable with an outer surface of said edge and with said rim.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein said tab is delimited by a radial end thereof that extends radially for a distance being at least one third of a thickness dimension of said edge.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein said tab comprises a concavity that is directed toward said base body.  
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein upon generation of pressure inside said container during heating, said tab is provided so as to oscillate to determine inward oscillation of said inner lip of said groove and outward oscillation of said outer lip.  
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one through hole located on said edge of said base body, above said rim and at a distance from a free border of said edge that is shorter than a depth extension of said groove.