Food Container With Forced Moisture Removal

Abstract

A method, a food container, a lid, and pad for a food container that actively removes moisture in the food container without changing the food temperature inside the container in a meaningful way are disclosed herein. The removal of moisture is achieved by introducing a cold spot (below the dew point temperature) inside the food container that forces condensation of moisture near the cold spot. The condensed moisture is then captured by an absorbent element placed below, and preferably adjacent to/collocated with, the cold spot and between the cold spot and the stored food. The cold spot is preferably achieved by a properly chosen frozen substance such as an ice cube or a frozen gel packet or ice trapped inside an absorbent pad.

1 . A pad for forcing moisture removal in a food container, the pad comprising:
 (a) an absorbent layer located at a bottom side of the pad and configured to hold a cold substance in solid form and absorb a condensate from a moisture in the food container and the cold substance in liquid form; and   (b) an adhesive layer located at a top side of the pad and configured to adhere to an upper interior wall of the food container.   
     
     
         2 . The pad in  claim 1  further comprises a backing layer removably coupled to the adhesive layer at the top side. 
     
     
         3 . The pad in  claim 1  further comprises a moisture barrier layer located between the absorbent layer and the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         4 . The pad in  claim 1  further comprises a moisture barrier layer coupled to the absorbent layer at the bottom side. 
     
     
         5 . The pad in  claim 1  further comprises an opening on the top side, through the adhesive layer until the absorbent layer. 
     
     
         6 . The pad in  claim 5 , wherein the opening has a surface area ranging from  20 % to 30% of a surface area of the absorbent layer at the top side. 
     
     
         7 . The pad in  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent layer has a surface area at the bottom side of no less than 4 square inches. 
     
     
         8 . The pad in  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent layer has a thickness of no more than 0.1 inch. 
     
     
         9 . The pad in  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is temperature resistant. 
     
     
         10 . A method for forcing moisture removal in a food container comprising the steps of:
 (a) Introducing a predetermined amount of cold substance into an absorbent layer at a bottom side of a pad;   (b) Freezing the pad with the cold substance in the absorbent layer;   (c) Adhering the pad to an upper interior wall of the food container by an adhesive layer at a top side of the pad, wherein   the amount of cold substance is determined based on a volume and a dimension of the food container.   
     
     
         11 . The method in  claim 10  further comprising the step of removing a backing layer at the top side of the pad from the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         12 . The method in  claim 10 , wherein the pad further comprises a moisture barrier layer located between the absorbent layer and the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         13 . The method in  claim 10 , wherein the pad further comprises a moisture barrier layer coupled to the absorbent layer at the bottom side. 
     
     
         14 . The method in  claim 10 , wherein the pad further comprises an opening on the top side, through the adhesive layer until the absorbent layer, configured to allow introduction of the cold substance into the absorbent layer. 
     
     
         15 . The method in  claim 14 , wherein the opening has a surface area ranging from 20% to 30% of a surface area of the absorbent layer at the top side. 
     
     
         16 . The method in  claim 10 , wherein the absorbent layer has a surface area at the bottom side of no less than 4 square inches. 
     
     
         17 . The method in  claim 10 , wherein the absorbent layer has a thickness of no more than 0.1 inch. 
     
     
         18 . The method in  claim 10 , wherein the adhesive layer is temperature resistant. 
     
     
         19 . A pad for forcing moisture removal in a food container, the pad comprising:
 (a) an absorbent layer comprising a cold substance, the absorbent layer being located at a bottom side of the pad and configured to absorb a condensate from a moisture in the food container; and   (b) an adhesive layer located at a top side of the pad and configured to adhere to an upper interior wall of the food container.   
     
     
         20 . The pad in  claim 19  further comprises a moisture barrier layer coupled to the absorbent layer at the bottom side.