Closure and Closure System for Maintaining the Value or Integrity of Perishables by Regulating Temperature

Abstract

A closure for increasing the storage life of perishables, which comprises a material with heating or cooling properties; a closure chamber comprising a chamber wall configured to house the material with heating or cooling properties; a seal structure for sealing or engaging the closure chamber to a perishable storage container for controlling the temperature in a perishable storage container; a fastening system to secure the closure chamber on a perishable storage container allowing the material with heating or cooling properties to act on stored perishables. The closure may act as part of a closure system that contains the closure with or without the material; and the container that stores perishables and may accommodates the material with heating or cooling properties in many configurations.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A closure for increasing the storage life of perishables, which comprises:
 a. a material with heating or cooling properties;   b. a closure chamber comprising a chamber wall and configured to house the material with heating or cooling properties;   c. a seal structure for sealing or engaging the closure chamber to a perishable storage container for controlling the temperature in a perishable storage container;   d. a fastening system to secure the closure chamber on a perishable storage container allowing the material with heating or cooling properties to act on stored perishables.   
     
     
         2 . A closure of  claim 1 , wherein the closure chamber is a structure permanently integrated into the closure. 
     
     
         3 . A closure of  claim 2 , wherein the closure chamber wall encloses the closure chamber on multiple sides, wherein a chamber wall is open for receiving and removing a pouch containing the material with heating or cooling properties. 
     
     
         4 . A closure of  claim 3 , wherein the closure chamber wall comprises a latch or guard or guide rails for securing the pouch to the chamber wall. 
     
     
         5 . A closure of  claim 1 , wherein the closure chamber wall comprises a guard or guide rails for securing the pouch to the chamber wall. 
     
     
         6 . A closure of  claim 1 , wherein the closure chamber comprises a lattice structure for housing the removable pouch containing the material with heating or cooling properties. 
     
     
         7 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties is removable from the closure chamber and the closure chamber comprises an opening for adding or removing the material with heating or cooling properties. 
     
     
         8 . A closure of  claim 2 , wherein the closure chamber holds the removable pouch containing the material heating or cooling properties with friction. 
     
     
         9 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties comprises a substance with a high heat of fusion. 
     
     
         10 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties comprises a substance with a high specific heat capacity. 
     
     
         11 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties comprises a substance capable of an exothermic or endothermic chemical reaction. 
     
     
         12 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the seal structure comprises a seal, a housing wherein the seal is housed, the housing is secured to the closure chamber, and the seal engages a top rim of a perishable food container. 
     
     
         13 . The closure according  claim 12 , wherein the fastening system for securing the closure chamber on a perishable storage container comprises one or more tabs and one or more latches, the one or more latches coordinate and interlock with a latch lip on a perishable food container. 
     
     
         14 . The closure according to  claim 12 , wherein the fastening system for securing the closure chamber on a perishable storage container comprises a threading system for screwing the closure onto a perishable food container that contains receiving threads on a top rim. 
     
     
         15 . The closure according to  claim 12 , wherein the fastening system for securing the closure chamber on a perishable storage container comprises the closure lip that latches onto a top rim of a container. 
     
     
         16 . The closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure chamber has a bottom surface area the size of the inside of a perishable storage container opening for thermal transfer between the perishable container and the opening. 
     
     
         17 . A closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the top outer surface of the closure chamber comprises of a utensil, a depression for storing the utensil, a mechanism for holding a utensil, and the utensil is stored within the depression. 
     
     
         18 . The closure of  claim 16 , wherein a moisture barrier is attached to the base of the chamber wall. 
     
     
         19 . The closure of  claim 1 , where the closure is lined with insulation. 
     
     
         20 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the closure chamber comprises
 a. a raised debossed portion on the top of the closure chamber for allowing of the expansion of a freezing liquid,   b. an opening for filling the closure chamber with a material with heating or cooling properties configured to prevent raised debossed portion from filling with the material.   c. a removable cap for securing the opening.   d. a cap receiver configured to fit with the removable cap creating a liquid tight seal.   e. a bottom portion for transferring thermal energy between the closure chamber and a perishable storage container.   
     
     
         21 . The closure of  claim 20 , where the material with heating or cooling properties comprises water. 
     
     
         22 . A closure system for increasing the storage life of perishables, which comprises:
 a. a material with heating or cooling properties;   b. a container for storing perishables, which comprises an outer wall and an inner wall; a wall chamber created by the inner wall and the outer wall for containing the material with heating or cooling properties; an opening on the wall chamber top for inserting and/or removing the material with heating or cooling properties; a container base connected to the bottom of the inner wall and the outer wall, a container cavity bounded by the inner wall and the container base for holding perishables. A closure comprising a seal structure for the wall chamber and container to maintain thermal stability and a fastening system for securing the closure and the container together.   
     
     
         23 . A closure of  claim 22 , wherein the wall chamber is a structure permanently integrated into the closure. 
     
     
         24 . A closure of  claim 22 , wherein the outer wall is a guard or guide rail for securing a removable pouch containing the material with heating or cooling properties to the chamber wall. 
     
     
         25 . A closure of  claim 22 , wherein the closure chamber comprises a lattice structure for housing the removable pouch containing the material with heating or cooling properties. 
     
     
         26 . The closure system of  claim 22 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties is removable from the wall chamber and the wall chamber comprises an opening for adding or removing the material with heating or cooling properties. 
     
     
         27 . The closure system of  claim 22 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties is not removable, but permanently contained in the wall chamber. 
     
     
         28 . The closure system of  claim 22 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties comprises a substance with a high heat of fusion. 
     
     
         29 . The closure system of  claim 22 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties comprises a substance with a high specific heat capacity. 
     
     
         30 . The closure system of  claim 22 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties comprises a substance capable of an exothermic or endothermic chemical reaction 
     
     
         31 . A closure system of  claim 22 , wherein the container base has a base chamber for inserting the material with heating or cooling properties configured to fit in the base chamber. 
     
     
         32 . A closure of  claim 31 , wherein the outer portion of the base chamber comprises a guard or a guide rail for securing the pouch to the container base. 
     
     
         33 . A closure system of  claim 22 , wherein the closure comprises a closure chamber and closure chamber opening for inserting the material with heating or cooling properties. 
     
     
         34 . A closure system of  claim 22 , where the container and the closure are made of a plastic material. 
     
     
         35 . A closure system of  claim 26 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties is contained in the flexible pouch designed to fit ergonomically into the wall chamber, wherein the pouch is designed thinner to fit around the corners of the wall chamber, and thicker to fit on the sides of the wall chamber to provide more thermal stabilization. 
     
     
         36 . A closure system of  claim 26 , wherein the material with heating or cooling properties comprises the pouch designed to fit into the wall chamber where the pouch is designed to fit perfectly in a wall chamber of any shape. 
     
     
         37 . A closure system of  claim 26 , wherein the wall chamber and the base chamber are merged to create one continuous chamber, filled with a material with heating or cooling properties, and the closure also contains a material with heating or cooling properties. 
     
     
         38 . A closure system of  claim 35  where the closure system is lined with insulation. 
     
     
         39 . A closure system of  claim 36  where the closure system is lined with insulation. 
     
     
         40 . A closure system of  claim 37  where the closure system is lined with insulation. 
     
     
         41 . A closure system for increasing the storage life of perishables, which comprises:
 a. a material with heating or cooling properties;   b. a pouch that is filled with the material with heating or cooling properties;   c. a container for storing or transporting perishables;   d. a closure that attaches to the container;   e. a seal for preserving the freshness of perishables in the container and sealing the closure to the container;   f. a fastener for ensuring the closure engages the container;   g. a snap fit fastener for fastening the pouch onto an inner or outer walls of the container and the closure.