Insulated food container

Abstract

Apparatus for storing food and for keeping it warm and moist comprising a substantially water impermeable pouch that bounds an insulated food warming chamber, the pouch having opposing substantially coextensive lips capable of being moved apart for providing passage to the warming chamber and for providing a partial vapor lock for inhibiting moisture from building up in the warming chamber.

1. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist comprising:
 a bag-like water impermeable pouch defining an internal food-receiving chamber and further defining a food passage opening in communication with the food-receiving chamber, the pouch being closed around a peripheral edge extending from one side of the food passage opening to an opposed side of the food passage opening; 
 an upper insulating structure including first upper and lower cloth-like layers with a first layer of insulating material sandwiched therebetween, the first upper and lower cloth-like layers defining a first outer edge, and the first upper and lower cloth-like layers being joined and reinforced in a first continuous bead extending completely around the first outer edge; 
 a lower insulating structure including second upper and lower cloth-like layers with a second layer of insulating material sandwiched therebetween, the second upper and lower cloth-like layers defining a second outer edge, and the second upper and lower cloth-like layers being joined and reinforced in a second continuous bead extending completely around the second outer edge; 
 the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure being positioned in overlying relationship with the pouch sandwiched therebetween, the first outer edge and the second outer edge of the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure, respectively, being joined together adjacent the edge of the pouch and coextensive with the closed peripheral edge of the pouch from one side of the food passage opening to the opposed side of the food passage opening without obstructing the food passage opening; and 
 the first continuous bead and the second continuous bead forming upper and lower lips positioned in passive, non-sealing engagement with each other for the extent of the food passage opening to inhibit a build-up of moisture vapor produced from warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber for preventing warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber from becoming soggy and to allow enough moisture vapor to remain in the food-receiving chamber for keeping warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber moist. 
 
     
     
       2. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the edge of the bag-like water impermeable pouch overlies the first continuous bead and the second continuous bead over the food passage opening and forms a portion of the lips. 
     
     
       3. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the bag-like water impermeable pouch is formed of one of thin plastic and polyester film. 
     
     
       4. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first upper and lower cloth-like layers and the second upper and lower cloth-like layers each are formed of one of natural and synthetic cloth-like material. 
     
     
       5. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first layer of insulating material and the second layer of insulating material each include one of natural and synthetic insulating material. 
     
     
       6. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the food container is constructed microwave safe for placing food in the food-receiving chamber and heating the food in a microwave oven. 
     
     
       7. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the bag-like water impermeable pouch is a one-piece structure. 
     
     
       8. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist comprising:
 a circular, flat one-piece water impermeable pouch formed of one of thin plastic and polyester film, the water impermeable pouch defining a food-receiving chamber and further defining a food passage opening in an edge of the pouch in communication with the food-receiving chamber; 
 a round upper insulating structure including first upper and lower cloth-like layers with a first layer of insulating material sandwiched therebetween, the first upper and lower cloth-like layers defining a first circular outer edge, and the first upper and lower cloth-like layers being joined and reinforced in a first continuous bead extending completely around the first circular outer edge; 
 a round lower insulating structure including second upper and lower cloth-like layers with a second layer of insulating material sandwiched therebetween, the second upper and lower cloth-like layers defining a second circular outer edge, and the second upper and lower cloth-like layers being joined and reinforced in a second continuous bead extending completely around the second circular outer edge; 
 the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure being positioned in coextensive coaxial overlying relationship with the pouch sandwiched therebetween, the first circular outer edge and the second circular outer edge of the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure, respectively, being joined together around the periphery from one side of the food passage opening to an opposed side of the food passage opening without obstructing the food passage opening; and 
 the first continuous bead and the second continuous bead forming upper and lower arcuate lips positioned in passive, non-sealing engagement with each other for the extent of the food passage opening to allow passage of food into the food-receiving chamber and to inhibit a build-up of moisture vapor produced from warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber for preventing warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber from becoming soggy and to allow enough moisture vapor to remain in the food-receiving chamber for keeping warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber moist. 
 
     
     
       9. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the edge of the water impermeable pouch overlies the first continuous bead and the second continuous bead over the food passage opening and forms a portion of the lips. 
     
     
       10. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the first upper and lower cloth-like layers and the second upper and lower cloth-like layers each are formed of one of natural and synthetic cloth-like material. 
     
     
       11. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the first layer of insulating material and the second layer of insulating material each include one of natural and synthetic insulating material. 
     
     
       12. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food and moist as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the food container is constructed microwave safe for placing food in the food-receiving chamber and heating the food in a microwave oven. 
     
     
       13. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the water impermeable pouch is a one-piece structure. 
     
     
       14. An insulated tortilla container for warming tortillas and keeping tortillas warm and moist comprising:
 a circular, flat one-piece water impermeable pouch formed of one of thin plastic and polyester film, the water impermeable pouch defining a tortilla-receiving chamber and further defining a tortilla passage opening in an edge of the pouch in communication with the tortilla-receiving chamber;   a circular upper insulating structure including first upper and lower cloth-like layers with a first layer of insulating material sandwiched therebetween, the first upper and lower cloth-like layers defining a first circular outer edge, and the first upper and lower cloth-like layers being joined and reinforced in a first continuous bead extending completely around the first circular outer edge;   a circular lower insulating structure including second upper and lower cloth-like layers with a second layer of insulating material sandwiched therebetween, the second upper and lower cloth-like layers defining a second circular outer edge, and the second upper and lower cloth-like layers being joined and reinforced in a second continuous bead extending completely around the second circular outer edge;   the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure being positioned in coextensive coaxial overlying relationship with the pouch sandwiched therebetween, the first circular outer edge and the second circular outer edge of the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure, respectively, being joined together around the periphery from one side of the tortilla passage opening to an opposed side of the tortilla passage opening without obstructing the tortilla passage opening; and   the first continuous bead and the second continuous bead forming upper and lower arcuate lips and the edge of the bag-like water impermeable pouch overlying the first continuous bead and the second continuous bead over the food passage opening and forming a portion of the arcuate lips, the arcuate lips being positioned in passive, non-sealing engagement with each other for the extent of the tortilla passage opening to allow passage of tortillas into the tortilla-receiving chamber and to inhibit a build-up of moisture vapor produced from warm tortillas disposed in the tortilla-receiving chamber.   
     
     
       15. An insulated tortilla container for warming tortillas and keeping tortillas and moist as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the tortilla container is constructed microwave safe for placing tortillas in the tortilla-receiving chamber and heating the tortillas in a microwave oven. 
     
     
       16. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist comprising:
 a bag-like substantially water impermeable pouch defining an internal food-receiving chamber and further defining a food passage opening in communication with the food-receiving chamber, the pouch being closed around a peripheral edge extending from one side of the food passage opening to an opposed side of the food passage opening;   an upper insulating structure including first upper and lower cloth-like layers with a first layer of insulating material sandwiched therebetween, the first upper and lower cloth-like layers defining a first outer edge, and the first upper and lower cloth-like layers being joined and reinforced in a first continuous bead extending completely around the first outer edge;   a lower insulating structure including second upper and lower cloth-like layers with a second layer of insulating material sandwiched therebetween, the second upper and lower cloth-like layers defining a second outer edge, and the second upper and lower cloth-like layers being joined and reinforced in a second continuous bead extending completely around the second outer edge;   a layer of one of thin plastic and polyester film sandwiched in each of the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure and the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure being positioned in overlying relationship to form the pouch therebetween, the first outer edge and the second outer edge of the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure, respectively, being joined together adjacent the edge of the pouch and coextensive with the closed peripheral edge of the pouch from one side of the food passage opening to the opposed side of the food passage opening without obstructing the food passage opening; and   the first continuous bead and the second continuous bead forming upper and lower lips positioned in passive, non-sealing engagement with each other for the extent of the food passage opening to inhibit a build-up of moisture vapor produced from warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber for preventing warm food disposed in the food- receiving chamber from becoming soggy and to allow enough moisture vapor to remain in the food-receiving chamber for keeping warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber moist.   
     
     
       17. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in claim 16 wherein an inner surface of each of the layers of one of thin plastic and polyester film facing the food-receiving chamber has associated therewith a cloth-like layer. 
     
     
       18. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist as claimed in claim 16 wherein the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure are joined together by sewing to form the bag-like substantially water impermeable pouch to allow enough moisture vapor to remain in the food-receiving chamber for keeping warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber moist. 
     
     
       19. An insulated food container for warming food and keeping food warm and moist comprising:
 a bag-like pouch defining an internal food-receiving chamber and further defining a food passage opening in communication with the food-receiving chamber, the pouch being closed around a peripheral edge extending from one side of the food passage opening to an opposed side of the food passage opening;   an upper insulating structure including first upper and lower cloth-like layers with a first layer of insulating material sandwiched therebetween, the upper insulating structure including a first layer of water impermeable material, the first upper and lower cloth-like layers defining a first outer edge, and the first upper and lower cloth-like layers being joined and reinforced in a first continuous bead extending completely around the first outer edge;   a lower insulating structure including second upper and lower cloth-like layers with a second layer of insulating material sandwiched therebetween, the lower insulating structure including a second layer of water impermeable material, the second upper and lower cloth-like layers defining a second outer edge, and the second upper and lower cloth-like layers being joined and reinforced in a second continuous bead extending completely around the second outer edge;   the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure being positioned in overlying relationship to form the pouch therebetween, the first outer edge and the second outer edge of the upper insulating structure and the lower insulating structure, respectively, being joined together adjacent the edge of the pouch and coextensive with the closed peripheral edge of the pouch from one side of the food passage opening to the opposed side of the food passage opening without obstructing the food passage opening; and   the first continuous bead and the second continuous bead forming upper and lower lips positioned in passive, non-sealing engagement with each other for the extent of the food passage opening to inhibit a build-up of moisture vapor produced from warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber for preventing warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber from becoming soggy and to allow enough moisture vapor to remain in the food-receiving chamber for keeping warm food disposed in the food-receiving chamber moist.