A heat unit containing a phase change material consisting of polyethylene glycol and a fatty acid combination of stearic and palmitic acids is disclosed. When heated in a microwave for about four (4) minutes the heat unit reaches a temperature of about 70 C. (158 F.). When placed in an insulated container, the heat unit will, after six (6) hours, have a temperature of about 40 C.-55 C. (104 F.-131 F.). The heat unit is advantageous for maintaining food hot during transport as well as other uses where long term heat emission is needed.

Containers for food, and methods and systems for making and using the same. An exemplary container for food can include an insulated tray including one or more sub-units and one or more heat sink units configured to store the food and fit in the tray. An alternative container can include a container base and a receptacle fitting in the container base, the container base including one or more thermal function pieces therein for maintaining a temperature of the receptacle. An alternative container can include a serving base defining one or more slots for holding the food items, respectively, and a cover configured to cooperate with the serving base, wherein at least the serving base, or at least the cover, includes a thermal function piece, the thermal function piece including a phase-change material. An exemplary method for using the container includes treating the phase-change material to an initial temperature.

An actively heated drinkware container includes a vessel with a chamber that receives and holds a volume of liquid. The drinkware container includes a heating module with a first heating element operable to heat one portion of the chamber and a second heating element operable to heat another portion of the chamber, the second heating element spaced from the first heating element. Operation of the first and second heating elements generates a circulation current in the volume of liquid in the chamber that mixes the liquid and diffuses a temperature of the liquid to thereby reduce temperature stratification of the liquid in the chamber and so that a temperature of the liquid throughout the volume of liquid in the chamber is approximately uniform.

Disclosed in the present invention is a low-temperature cooking machine. The low-temperature cooking machine comprises a flexible heating unit and a pump, and the pump is used for providing pressure or suction to cause the flexible heating unit to deform and contact and heat food. The low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention is a novel cooking device; under the action of the pump, the flexible heating unit as a heater can be deformed and directly contact food, so as to directly heat and cook the food. The low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention is a novel device and can replace an existing low-temperature cooking device having a constant temperature water bath and a vacuum plastic package machine.

A food defrosting tray includes a tray body on which a frozen food is adapted to be placed. The tray body is made of metal and includes a plurality of heat transfer pieces spaced in parallel. The food defrosting tray further includes two conjunction members which engage with first and second ends of the heat transfer pieces respectively. Each conjunction member includes a plurality of sheaths made of a pliable but strong material. Two adjacent sheaths are connected to each other through a collapsible portion so that the tray body and the conjunction members are collapsible and can be rolled up for better contact with a food material and preferable defrosting capability. Moreover, the foldable tray body allows the food defrosting tray to be rolled up easily for effective storage.

An actively heated or cooled food container can have a lid movable between an open and a closed position and an insulated body to which the lid can be attached. The insulated body can have a sidewall that defines a perimeter of the container body and a base, the sidewall and base defining one or more chambers that can be sealed by the lid. The food container can have a temperature control system that can include one or more heating or cooling elements in thermal communication with one or both of the sidewall and the base and operable to heat or cool one or both of the sidewall and the base to thereby heat or cool the one or more chambers in the food container.

In one aspect, a food delivery temperature charging system, temperature charging cradle systems and food transportation system are described herein. In some embodiments, the food delivery temperature charging system contains a temperature charging cradle system including a base unit including a first temperature adjustment unit generating hot or cold air, a backing affixed to the base unit, and a channel duct affixed to the backing, wherein the first temperature adjustment unit is connected to the channel duct so that the channel duct permits free flow of the first temperature medium to a charging station. The food delivery temperature charging system further includes a charging station containing a horizontal shelf for holding a food storage system including a shelf temperature medium portal, which is connected to a channel duct so that the first temperature medium is conveyed from the fully enclosed channel duct to the temperature medium portal.

An actively heated mug has a body with a chamber that can receive and hold a beverage and a heating element to actively heat the chamber, batteries, and circuitry that controls the operation of the heating element. A user interface is electrically connected to the circuitry and has one or more buttons actuatable a) to turn on the heating element, b) to adjust a temperature setting to one of multiple temperature settings to control the operation of the heating element to heat or maintain the liquid at a user selected temperature setting, and c) to turn off the heating element.

In one aspect, food transport systems are described herein. In some embodiments, such a system comprises an interior compartment defined by a floor, one or more side walls, and optionally a lid. The lid has open and closed configurations. The lid, or a bottom surface thereof, is in facing opposition to the floor when the lid is in the closed configuration. The side walls comprise fold lines or seams substantially parallel to the floor. Further, the side walls have reduced thickness or rigidity or self-supporting ability at the fold lines. The interior compartment has an extended configuration and a folded configuration. When the interior compartment is in the extended configuration, the side walls are substantially orthogonal to the floor. When the interior compartment is in the folded configuration, the side walls are folded or collapsed onto themselves along the fold lines, in a direction orthogonal to the floor.

Containers for food, and methods and systems for making and using the same. An exemplary container for food can include an insulated tray including one or more sub-units and one or more heat sink units configured to store the food and fit in the tray. An alternative container can include a container base and a receptacle fitting in the container base, the container base including one or more thermal function pieces therein for maintaining a temperature of the receptacle. An alternative container can include a serving base defining one or more slots for holding the food items, respectively, and a cover configured to cooperate with the serving base, wherein at least the serving base, or at least the cover, includes a thermal function piece, the thermal function piece including a phase-change material. An exemplary method for using the container includes treating the phase-change material to an initial temperature.