Self-Heating Group Meal Assembly

Abstract

A self-heating, deployable group meal assembly and method of using same that includes a delivery system having individual delivery tubes for conducting the activating liquid from a source of the liquid to each of a plurality of individual heater trays containing heater material. The heater trays are disposed in a stacked configuration, each heater tray including a heater pad comprising a conventional heater material that exhibits an exothermic reaction when contacted with an electrolyte activating liquid, and a food tray containing a quantity of food sufficient for multiple individuals. A source of activating liquid for each heater tray in the assembly ensures uniform and efficient flow of liquid to each such heater tray, the sources of liquid being easily installed in a single step to activate the heater material on demand. In one embodiment of the invention, the heater pads comprise Mg—Fe alloy and the activating liquid comprises saline-water solution.

1 . A self-heating group meal assembly comprising:
 (a) a plurality of food tray assemblies arranged in a stacked configuration, each food tray assembly including a heater tray containing an exothermic chemical heater material, and a food tray supported on said heater tray near said heater material;   (b) a plurality of sources of activating liquid for selectively activating said heater material, each said source including an outlet having valve means for selectively applying said activating liquid to said heater material; and   (c) conduit means interconnecting each said source with a corresponding heater tray, each said conduit means having an inlet attachable to a said source and an outlet disposed near a corresponding heater tray.   
     
     
         2 . The self-heating group meal assembly of  claim 1  comprising four said food tray assemblies. 
     
     
         3 . The self-heating group meal assembly of  claim 1  wherein said heater material comprises magnesium-iron alloy. 
     
     
         4 . The self-heating group meal assembly of  claim 1  wherein said food tray is in thermal contact with said heater material. 
     
     
         5 . The self-heating group meal assembly of  claim 1  wherein each said food tray contains a re-heatable pre-cooked food item hermetically sealed within said food tray. 
     
     
         6 . The self-heating group meal assembly of  claim 1  wherein said sources of activating liquid comprise saline solution. 
     
     
         7 . The self-heating group meal assembly of  claim 1  wherein said sources of activating liquid are disposed within a container separate from said stacked configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The self-heating group meal assembly of  claim 7  further comprising a flow-through connector for attachment to each respective said valve means in selectively conducting said activating liquid to said heater material. 
     
     
         9 . In a self-heating group meal assembly having a plurality of food trays and a corresponding plurality of heater trays containing exothermic chemical heater material supporting the respective food trays in a stacked configuration, an improvement comprising:
 (a) a plurality of sources of activating liquid for selectively activating said heater material, each said source including an outlet having valve means for selectively applying said activating liquid to said heater material; and   (b) conduit means for interconnecting each said source with a corresponding heater tray, each said conduit means having an inlet attachable to a said source and an outlet disposed near a corresponding heater tray.   
     
     
         10 . The improvement recited in  claim 9  comprising four said food trays and four said heater trays. 
     
     
         11 . The improvements recited in  claim 9  wherein said heater material comprises magnesium-iron alloy. 
     
     
         12 . The improvement recited in  claim 9  wherein said food tray is in thermal contact with said heater material. 
     
     
         13 . The improvement recited in  claim 9  wherein each said food tray contains a re-heatable pre-cooked food item hermetically sealed within said food tray. 
     
     
         14 . The improvement recited in  claim 9  wherein said sources of activating liquid comprise saline solution. 
     
     
         15 . The improvement recited in  claim 9  wherein said sources of activating liquid are disposed within a container separate from said stacked configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The improvement recited in  claim 15  further comprising a flow-through connector for attachment to each respective said valve means in selectively conducting said activating liquid to said heater material. 
     
     
         17 . A method for heating a self-heating group meal assembly having a plurality of food trays and a corresponding plurality of heater trays containing exothermic chemical heater material supporting the respective food trays in a stacked configuration, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a source of activating liquid for each heater tray, each said source including an outlet having valve means for selectively applying said activating liquid to said heater material in each said heater tray; and   (b) providing separate conduit means for interconnecting a source of activating fluid with a corresponding heater tray, each said conduit means having an inlet attachable to a said source and an outlet disposed near a corresponding heater tray.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said heater material comprises magnesium-iron alloy. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein each said food tray contains a re-heatable pre-cooked food item hermetically sealed within said food tray. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said sources of activating liquid comprise saline solution.