CONTAINER FOR COOKING FOODS COMPRISING A NON-STICK COATING

Abstract

A container for cooking food including a body (3), a bottom and a side wall, said body having an external surface, designated to come into contact with a heat source, and an internal surface, designated to come into contact with food. The internal surface includes a non-stick coating, having an , overall thickness of at least 15 .Math.m, for example a thickness between 15 .Math.m and 80 .Math.m, and sintered through a single firing, at a temperature between 380° C. and 450° C. for fluoropolymer based non-stick products (e.g. PTFE) and between 150° C. - 350° C. for Sol-Gel based non-stick products (e.g. ceramic). The container further includes at least one decoration applied under the coating; this decoration has, thanks to the high thickness of the non-stick coating placed above it, greater resistance to abrasion and scratches as well as greater resistance to washing in the dishwasher; the coating is transparent or semi-transparent.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A container for cooking or receiving foods comprising a body, a bottom and a lateral wall, said body having an outer surface, designated to come into contact with a heat source, and an inner surface, designated to come into contact with the food, said inner surface comprising a non-stick coating, said non-stick coating having an overall thickness of at least 15 .Math.m, for example a thickness comprised between 15 .Math.m and 80 .Math.m, and being sintered by means of a single cooking, at a temperature comprised between 380° C. to 450° C. for fluoropolymer-based anti-stick coatings (example PTFE) and between 150° C. and 350° C. for Sol-Gel-based anti-stick coatings (example ceramic), characterized in that it further comprises at least one decoration (8) applied beneath said coating, and directly on the surface of said body, said at least one decoration having, due to the high thickness of the non-stick coating placed above it, a greater resistance to abrasion and scratch, as well as a greater resistance to washing in a dishwasher, said coating being transparent or semi-transparent.

13. The container according to claim 12, wherein said decoration is applied over said inner surface by means of a silk-screen or pad printing technique or other equivalent method of application, before applying said non-stick coating.

14. The container according to claim 12, wherein said decoration comprises one or more patterns, and can be thermochromic or non-thermochromic.

15. The container according to claim 12, wherein said non-stick coating is applied to said inner surface by spraying, rolling, curtain coater machine, silk-screen printing, pad printing, paintbrush or other equivalent method of application.

16. The container according to claim 15, wherein said non-stick coating is based on PTFE/PFA/FEP/PES/PEEK or mixture of polymers.

17. The container according to claim 15, wherein said non-stick coating is based on Sol-Gel.

18. The container according to claim 16, wherein said non-stick coating contains Aloe powder, juice or gel and/or any Aloe-based compound.

19. The container according to claim 12, wherein said body is made of borosilicate glass.

20. A method for making a container for cooking or receiving foods, comprising the steps of: obtaining a body made of metal material, such as aluminium alloy, stainless steel, or other metal or other metal alloy and/or any other material having chemical-physical and mechanical characteristics to allow cooking or receiving of food, for example materials such as porcelain, wood, plastic, terracotta, glass, composite materials; forming said body, so that it takes the desired final shape, said body comprising an inner surface designated to come into contact with the food; surface-treating said body through a polishing and/or brushing and/or sanding and/or anodizing and/or painting and/or grinding process; applying, on said inner surface, a non-stick coating having an overall thickness of at least 15 .Math.m, for example a thickness comprised between 15 .Math.m and 80 .Math.m, said non-stick coating being sintered by means of a single cooking, at a temperature comprised between 380° C. to 450° C. for fluoropolymer-based anti-stick coatings (example PTFE) and between 150° C. and 350° C. for Sol-Gel-based anti-stick coatings (example ceramic); wherein, before the step of applying said non-stick coating to said inner surface, further comprising a step of applying at least one decoration on said inner surface, said at least one decoration having, due to the high thickness of said non-stick coating which will be applied subsequently thereonto, a greater resistance to abrasion and scratch as well as a greater resistance to washing in the dishwasher, said non-stick coating being transparent or semi-transparent.

21. The method according to claim 20, comprising at least one step of passivation and/or drying of said container by means of heat, physical, chemical treatment or according to a combination thereof.

22. The method according to claim 20, comprising at least one step of fixing handles, grips and the like by means of welding, for example by means of a goujon, or by riveting, or by means of other equivalent connection techniques.

23. The method according to claim 20, in which said step of obtaining provides for the manufacture of said body in borosilicate glass.

24. The method according to claim 20, in which said non-stick coating is based on Sol-Gel.

25. The method according to claim 20, wherein said non-stick coating contains Aloe powder, juice or gel and/or any Aloe-based compound.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Other features and advantages of the invention will be more evident from the description of an embodiment of a unit, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

[0050] FIG. 1 is a top view of a container for cooking or receiving food according to the present invention;

[0051] FIG. 2 is a side view of the container of FIG. 1; and

[0052] FIG. 3 is a detail of a cross section of the container of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0053] In the accompanying drawings, identical parts or components are indicated by the same reference numbers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0054] With reference to FIG. 1, the number 1 generally indicates a container for cooking food according to the present invention.

[0055] In particular, FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically show a container for cooking or receiving food which is made, by way of non-limiting example only, in the form of a pan.

[0056] It should be noted that the container 1 can be of any other type, for example it can consist of a pot, a saucepan, a grill pan, or other, without any limitation.

[0057] The container 1 comprises, in a known way, a substantially bowl-shaped or substantially flat body 2, comprising a bottom 3 and a side wall 4. In detail, the body 2 defines an external surface 5, an upper edge 6 and an internal surface 7.

[0058] The body 2 and its upper edge 6 can have any shape, for example rectangular, oval, circular, or other.

[0059] The container 1 also comprises a handle or grip 10, made of any type of material, which has an end 11 for fixing to the body 2 of the container 1.

[0060] The handle or grip 10 can be fixed to the body 2 by welding, for example by means of a goujon, or by riveting, or with other equivalent connection techniques.

[0061] The body 2 of the container 1 is made for example of metallic material, such as aluminium alloy, stainless steel, or other metal or other metal alloy; the body 2 can however be made of any other material with physical and mechanical characteristics suitable for allowing the cooking or in any case the preservation of food, such as porcelain, wood, plastic, terracotta, glass, composite materials, etc.

[0062] According to a particularly advantageous exemplary and non-limiting form of the present invention, the body 2 of the container 1 is made of borosilicate glass. This material, preferably composed of silica, sodium carbonate, alumina and boron mixed together, has excellent resistance to mechanical shocks, excellent resistance to thermal shocks up to about 220° C. and low expansion coefficients. For these reasons, the construction of the body 2 in borosilicate glass allows the container 1 to be used both for cooking food in the oven, for cooking food in the microwave, and for hot and cold storage, for example in the refrigerator or freezer, of food.

[0063] The body 2 is formed, according to methods which are not the subject of the present invention, assuming the desired final shape; then the body 2 is surface treated by means of a polishing and/or brushing and/or sandblasting and/or anodizing and/or painting and/or grinding process, to allow better adhesion of the non-stick coating 20 which will subsequently be applied to the aforementioned body 2.

[0064] On the external surface 5 of the container 1, at least one layer of protective paint can be applied which can be sol-gel ceramic-based, PTFE-based, or a lacquer or porcelain enamel, or still another type of paint suitable for resisting temperatures of heat sources for cooking food.

[0065] The applicant has developed an innovative article with decoration 8, thermochromic or not thermochromic, applied directly on the internal surface of the body 2, under the non-stick coating 20.

[0066] The decoration 8 is applied to the internal surface 7 of the body 2 with a screen printing, pad printing, spray, roller, brush or still another method of application.

[0067] FIG. 3 schematically shows a sectional detail of the body 2 of the container 1, with the internal surface 7 on which a decoration 8 is applied, with one or more patterns, thermochromic or not thermochromic, and subsequently the non-stick coating 20.

[0068] The non-stick coating 20 is transparent or semi-transparent so as not to visually cover the decoration 8, and can be based on PTFE/PFA/FEP/PES/PEEK or a mixture of polymers or based on Sol-Gel (ceramic).

[0069] The non-stick coating 20 can have, for example, a thickness of between 15 pm and 80 pm.

[0070] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non stick coating 20 can contain Aloe powder, juice or gel.

[0071] The non-stick coating 20 comprises at least a base layer and an intermediate layer (not shown in the figures) made of non-stick material, which respectively have a thickness that can be, for example, between 7 pm and 20 pm and between 8 pm and 20 pm.

[0072] The intermediate layer can be optional; above the intermediate layer — if provided — there is at least one finishing layer (not shown in the figures), with which the food comes into contact. This layer may have, by way of non-limiting example, a thickness between 20 pm and 40 pm.

[0073] It should be noted that, subsequently, all the layers of the non-stick coating 20 (PTFE or Sol-Gel) are subjected to firing in oven for the final sintering by means of a single firing, without producing surface defects, such as surface breaks, cracks, drips and various irregularities.

[0074] Firing takes place at a temperature between 380° C. and 450° C. for fluoropolymer based non-stick products (e.g. PTFE), and between 150° C. - 350° C. for Sol-Gel based non-stick products (ceramic example).

[0075] The decoration 8, with one or more patterns, thermochromic or not, is applied under the non-stick coating 20 and therefore is more durable over time, resistant to abrasion and scratches and resistant to washing in the dishwasher than the other internal decorations present in the market.

[0076] Furthermore, its application, occurring directly on the metal surface of the body 2, is very precise and easy to perform.

[0077] In the event that the decoration 8 is thermochromic, it can be used by the user to obtain information relating to the degree of heating of the container, for example an intense dark red decoration would indicate a high temperature of the container.

[0078] The thermochromic decoration can also have two patterns, with one color that darkens and the other that lightens slightly while increasing temperature.

[0079] The method for manufacturing the above-mentioned container 1 for cooking food is illustrated below, method which is also the subject-matter of the present invention.

[0080] The method initially involves a step of making the body 2 in metal material, for example aluminium alloy, stainless steel, or other metal or other metal alloy and/or in any other material with chemical-physical and mechanical characteristics to allow cooking or in any case the preservation of food, for example materials such as porcelain, wood, plastic, terracotta, glass, for example borosilicate glass, composite materials, etc.

[0081] Subsequently, one proceeds with the step of forming the body 2, so that it assumes the desired final shape.

[0082] At a later stage, a step is envisaged of treating the surface of the body 2 by means of a polishing and/or brushing and/or sandblasting and/or anodizing and/or painting and/or grinding process, to allow a better adhesion of the non-stick coating 20 on said body 2.

[0083] The method then proceeds with the application of a decoration 8 on the internal surface 7.

[0084] Finally, the non-stick coating 20, which has a high thickness, according to the above-described specifications, is applied on the internal surface 7, and consequently also on the decoration 8.

[0085] Thanks to the thickness of the non-stick coating 20, applied above said decoration 8, the latter will have greater resistance to abrasion and scratches, as well as greater resistance to washing in the dishwasher.

[0086] In another embodiment of the invention, the method comprises, in addition to the steps described above, or even only some of them, at least one passivation and/or drying step of the container 1, by means of thermal, physical, chemical treatment, or according to a combination thereof.

[0087] In yet another embodiment of the invention, the method comprises, in addition to the steps described above, or even only some of them, at least one step for fixing handles, grips 10 and the like, by welding, for example by a goujon , or by riveting, or with other equivalent connection techniques.

[0088] It has thus been seen how the invention fully achieves the proposed objects.

[0089] The container according to the present invention, thanks to the application of the decoration directly on the metal surface of the body and under the transparent or semi-transparent non-stick coating, is able to significantly increase the resistance of said decoration to possible scratches and abrasions deriving from external agents, such as for example possible scratches caused by hand washing the container, or by continuous washing in the dishwasher.

[0090] Furthermore, the application of the decoration, being carried out directly on the metal surface of the body 2, is very precise and easy to perform and cheaper than a decoration applied directly on a non-stick coating.

[0091] According to the exemplary and non-limiting embodiment of the invention in which the container 1 comprises a body 2 made of borosilicate glass and a transparent or semi-transparent non-stick coating applied over a decoration, if desired thermochromic, it is possible to obtain a container for food with great resistance to mechanical and thermal shocks, thereby allowing a longer duration in time even of the decoration itself. The non-stick coating allows, in addition to facilitating the washing of the container, preventing the food being cooked from sticking to it, also a healthier kitchen, making it possible to eliminate or otherwise reduce oils and fats.

[0092] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which fall within the scope of the following claims.