A Container

The present invention relates to a container and particularly, but not exclusively, to a container for warming food.

Any parent will know that it is often difficult to warm food or milk for a baby or infant when out travelling or shopping, for example. It is common for parents to make the food or prepare the milk quite hot just before leaving home in an attempt to judge the cooling rate so that the food is suitably warm for when the infant's meal is due. However, if the food is not consumed at the right time it may spoil or become generally undesirable for the infant.

In order to warm the food it is often necessary to ask at a restaurant or cafe. In which case, the food may be placed in an appropriate bowl and warmed in a microwave oven, for example. However, once the food has been consumed, there is the further problem that there are no facilities to wash the bowl for subsequent use. As such, when travelling or shopping, for example, with infants and babies, it is necessary to take sufficient meals and a corresponding number of clean bowls.

I have now devised a container which alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

In accordance with the present invention as seen from a first aspect there is provided a container, the container comprising a first receptacle, a second receptacle and means for detachably securing the first and second receptacles together in a first container configuration and a second container configuration, such that: - in the first container configuration, the second receptacle extends substantially within the first receptacle, and in the second container configuration, the second receptacle is substantially inverted with respect to the first receptacle.

Preferably the first receptacle comprises a first base and first sidewalls extending from the first base, which terminate at an open first periphery of the first receptacle. The upper region of the first sidewalls, proximate to the open first periphery, preferably comprise an external first threaded region and an inner first smooth region.

Preferably, the second receptacle comprises a second base and second sidewalls extending from said second base, which terminate at an open second periphery of the second receptacle.

The open second periphery preferably comprises a peripherally extending flange formed by turning the upper edge of the second sidewalls back upon themselves. In addition, the underside of the flange preferably comprises an internal second threaded region and the exterior of the flange comprises a substantially second smooth region.

The means for detachably securing the first and second receptacles together in the first container configuration preferably comprise the cooperation of the first and second threaded region. In this manner, the second receptacle can be screwed onto and off the first receptacle. The means for detachably securing the first and second receptacles in the second container configuration preferably comprises a friction fit between the first and second smooth regions. In the second container configuration, the flange of the second receptacle is preferably inserted into the open first periphery of the first receptacle.

Preferably, in the first container configuration, the second base and second sidewalls are substantially separated from the first base and the first sidewalls.

Preferably, the first base and first sidewalls are thermally insulating. Hot water is preferably poured into the first receptacle and the second receptacle is then preferably screwed onto the first receptacle to prevent the water from escaping. The amount of water placed within the first receptacle is preferably sufficient to contact the second base and at least part of the second sidewalls. The insulating side walls ensures that the water remains hot, such that when it is desired to warm the food, the food is be placed within the second receptacle so that the heat conducted from the water through the second base and second sidewalls can warm the food.

Preferably, the container comprises a lid for closing the container. The lid preferably fits within the open second periphery in the first container configuration. Therefore, the second receptacle can be closed to retain the heat within the container and thus warm the food. Once the food has been warmed and consumed, the second receptacle may be unscrewed from the first receptacle, inverted and push fitted into the first open periphery of the first receptacle. The container, now in the second container configuration, can then be shook to

cause the hot water to move into and out of the second receptacle to dislodge any food from the second receptacle and thus clean the container. The dirty water may then be poured out from the container, which is then ready for subsequent use.

In accordance with the present invention as seen from a second aspect, there is provided a method of warming food, the method comprising the use of the container of the first aspect, the method comprising the steps of: placing hot water within the first receptacle; securing the second receptacle to the first receptacle in the first container configuration; and, placing the food to be warmed within the second receptacle.

The infants' food may preferably comprise a bottle of milk.

Preferably the method further comprises the step of placing the lid within the second open periphery so as to close said second receptacle.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of the container of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the container in the first container configuration as used to warm a baby's bottle of milk;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the container in the first container configuration, showing the food within the second receptacle;

Figure 4 is perspective view of the container in the second container configuration; and

Figure 5 is an illustrative demonstration of the cleaning of the container.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a container 10 in accordance with the present invention. The container 10 is generally circular in cross-section and comprises a first

receptacle 11 having a base 11 a , and sidewalls 11 b which extend from the base 11 a, and a second receptacle 12 having a base 12a, and sidewalls 12b which extend from the base 12a.

The first receptacle 11 comprises a thermally insulating base 11 a and sidewalls 11 b, whereas the base 12a and sidewalls 12b of the second receptacle 12 are thermally conducting. For example, the inner surface 11 c of the first receptacle 1 1 may be lined with a silver coating (not shown) and the base 1 1a and sidewalls 11 b thereof may comprise an inner and outer wall (not shown) separated by a low pressure or vacuumed cavity, as is typical in thermos® flasks. The silver coating helps to retain radiated heat within the first receptacle 11 while the low pressure cavity minimises conduction and convention through the base 11 a and side walls 11 b of the first receptacle 11.

The upper external region of the sidewalls 1 1 b of first receptacle 11 comprises a threaded region 13, whereas the upper internal region 14 of the sidewalls 11 b is substantially smooth.

The upper region of the sidewall 12b of the second receptacle is preferably folded back upon itself so as to form a flange 15. The inner surface of the underside of the flange 15 comprises an internal thread (not shown) which cooperates with the external thread 13 of the first receptacle 11 such that the second receptacle 12 can be screwed upon the first receptacle 1 1 with the sidewalls 12b and base 12a of the second receptacle 12 extending substantially within the first receptacle 11 , to produce a first container configuration as shown in figures 1 and 2.

The external surface 16 of the flange 15 is preferably smooth and the flange 15 is sufficiently flexible, such that upon unscrewing the second receptacle 12 from the first receptacle and inverting the second receptacle 12 with respect to the first receptacle 1 1 , the flange 15 can be push-fitted into the open periphery of the first receptacle 11 to cooperate with the upper internal smooth region 14 of the side walls 1 1 b. The friction fit between the external surface

16 of the flange 15 and the upper internal region 14 of the first receptacle 1 1 provides for a second container configuration wherein the base 12a and side walls 12b extend away from the first receptacle 11 , as shown in figure 4.

The second receptacle 12 is dimensioned so that when screwed onto the first receptacle 1 1 in the first container configuration, the second receptacles 12 is held substantially separated from the first receptacle 11. Accordingly, the diameter of the second base 12a is less than

the diameter of the first base 11 a and the sidewalls 12b of the second receptacle 12 are substantially frusto-conical in shape. In an alternative the embodiment, the side walls 1 1 b of the first container 11 may be substantially frusto-conical in shape and the side walls 12b of the second receptacle 12 may be substantially cylindrical.

The upper internal region of the side walls 12b of the second receptacle 12 further comprise an internal threaded region 17 which cooperates with an external threaded region 18 of a lid 19, so that the lid 19 can be screwed onto the second receptacle 12 to close the second receptacle 12. The lid 19 may also comprise an inner and outer layer (not shown) similar to the first receptacle 11 , so as to improve the thermal insulation of the container 10 when in the first configuration.

In use, a predetermined amount of hot water 20 is poured within the first receptacle 1 1 and the second receptacle 12 is screwed onto the first receptacle 1 1 in the first container configuration to close the first receptacle 11. The amount of water is selected so that when the second receptacle 12 has fully screwed onto the first receptacle 1 1 , the base 12a and at least part of the side walls 12b of the second receptacle 12 come into contact with the hot water 20. The lid 19 may then be screwed onto the second receptacle 12 to close the second receptacle 12 and thus retain the heat from the hot water 20 within the container 10.

When it is required to warm an infants' food 21 or a bottle of milk 22 for example, the lid 19 is removed, the food or bottle is placed within the second receptacle and the lid is re-applied as shown in figure 3. The thermally conducting nature of the second receptacle 12 ensures that the heat from the hot water 20 can conduct through the base 12a and the sidewalls 12b of the second receptacle 12 to warm the food 21 or bottle of milk 22. Once the food 21 or bottle of milk 22 has reached the desired temperature, the lid 19 is then removed and the food 21 or milk may be consumed.

It is to be appreciated that if the container 10 is used to warm food 21 , then the second receptacle 12 will inevitably contain residual food. In order to clean the second receptacle 12, the second receptacle 12 is unscrewed from the first receptacle 11 , inverted with respect to the first receptacle 11 , and the flange 15 is inserted into the first receptacle 1 1 to produce the second container configuration as shown in figure 4. The mutually cooperating smooth surfaces 14, 16 of the first and second receptacles provide a friction fit for the second receptacle 12 and thus secures the second receptacle 12 with respect to the first receptacle

1 1. The container 10 can then be shook up and down so as to cause the hot water 20 within the first receptacle 1 1 to enter the second receptacle 12 as shown in figure 5, and thus dislodge any residual food therein. The frusto-conical sidewalls 12b of the second receptacle 12 further facilitates the removal of residual food 21 since the food 21 can easily fall from the second receptacle 12 into the first receptacle 11.

Once all the residual food 21 has been dislodged, the food particulates suspended within the water can be removed by separating the first and second receptacles 11 , 12 and pouring the water therefrom. The cleaned receptacles 1 1 , 12 can then be reconfigured in the first container configuration and the lid 19 can be reapplied to maintain a clean interior for subsequent use.

From the foregoing therefore, it is evident that the container of the present invention provides a simple yet effective means of warming food and facilitates for the subsequent cleaning of the container.