GASKET FOR FOOD-BATCHING DEVICE AND BATCHING DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH SUCH GASKET

The present invention refers to a sealing gasket for a foodstuff batching device, in particular for a vessel/grater of food products such as cheese to be grated. The present invention further refers to a food-batching device, such as a vessel/grater for foodstuff such as cheese to be grated, equipped with such gasket.

As known, batching devices for foodstuff perform both the function of envelope for the food product, insulating it from the external environment during its transport and storage in the sales point and by a customer, and the function of delivering batches established by a user upon its consumption. In particular, batching devices for foodstuff such as vessel/graters for friable products, such as for example hard cheese to be grated, like those described in particular in CH- A-682714, EP-A-1541073, GB-A-1282940, WO-A-99/017649, GB-A- 2396320, EP-A-1554962 and WO-A-2006/051564, are devised and realised for containing, storing, delivering and portioning hard-paste cheese, such as for example Grana or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and as such they are equipped with cutting

devices adapted to grate the above cheese.

All known batching devices, in particular like the above- mentioned ones, have the problem of not being sufficiently sealed as regards air once they are opened in order to allow their use. In fact, once the batching device has been opened, and the food product inside it has therefore been exposed to air, such batching devices have no suitable means to prevent re-circulation of air inside them, impairing the correct storage of food products, in particular cheese, typically causing a loss of its weight, its drying and altering its taste and fragrance.

Therefore, object of the present invention is solving the above prior art problems, by providing a sealing gasket for a food-batching device, in particular like a vessel/grater of food products like cheese, both of the hard paste and of the soft paste type, that prevents air from re-circulating inside the batching device, reducing the food weight loss and allowing its better storage in time.

Another object of the present invention is providing a food-batching device, like in particular a vessel/grater for food products such as cheese to be grated, both of the hard paste and of the soft paste type, equipped with a sealing gasket that prevents air from re-circulating inside the batching device, reducing the food weight loss and allowing its better storage in time.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will result from the following description, are obtained with a sealing gasket for a food-batching device, and with a batching device for foodstuff, as described in the independent claims. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims .

It will be immediately obvious that numerous variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to the described gasket and batching device, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the enclosed claims.

The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of the gasket according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the gasket of FIG. 1;

- FIG. 3 shows a top perspective view of the gasket of the previous Figures;

- FIG. 4 shows a bottom perspective view of the gasket of the previous Figures;

FIG. 5 shows a median longitudinal sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the batching device for foodstuff

according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the batching device of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the median longitudinal section of the batching device of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 shows an enlargement of the part contained in box A in FIG. 5.

With particular reference to FIG. 1, 2, 3 and 4, it is possible to note that the sealing gasket 1 according to the present invention comprises a main body 2 perimetrally equipped with at least one sealing edge 3. Centrally to the main body 2, a through-opening 4 is arranged. On a lower surface of the main body 2, fastening means are arranged, preferably made as at least one small foot 5 equipped at one end thereof with at least one engagement pin 6. The sealing edge 3, in order to guarantee an efficient operation of the gasket 1 according to the present invention, and therefore its adequate adherence against possible surfaces with which it has to cooperate, is preferably made of a plastic material with possible elastic additives, in rubber or in silicone. Possibly, also the through-opening 4 perimeter could be equipped with a sealing edge (not shown) , also preferably made of a plastic material with possible elastic additives, in rubber or in silicone.

In a preferred embodiment thereof, the gasket 1 according to the present invention is wholly made of a single material,

such single material being a plastic material, rubber or silicone of the sealing edge 3 and the possible perimetral sealing edge of the through-opening 4.

As can be noted from the Figures, the gasket 1 according to the present invention has preferably its main body 2 of a substantially circular perimetral shape and its opening 4 has a quadrangular or square perimetral shape with rounded angles. Moreover, the sealing edge 3 is preferably shaped as a projecting lip with triangular section.

With reference to FIG. 5, 6, 7 and 8, it is instead possible to note a preferred embodiment of the food-batching device 10 according to the present invention equipped with a gasket 1 as previously described.

Preferably, the batching device 10 for foodstuff according to the present invention is a vessel/grater for food products such as cheese, both of the hard paste and of the soft paste type, to be grated, and as such it will be described as an example herein below. Still more preferably, the batching device 10 for foodstuff according to the present invention is a vessel/grater as disclosed in document WO-A-2006/051564 of the same Applicant.

It is however wholly clear that any skilled person in the art can, extremely easily, depending on what is described here, make a batching device 10 shaped in order to deliver, batch and/or portion any other piece of foodstuff, without

however departing from the scope of the present invention.

The food-batching device 10 according to the present invention therefore comprises a base 11 on which an element 12 shaped as a reversed cup, having a circular or polygonal, particularly squared, cross section, is rotatingly assembled in order to define a chamber 14 for containing the foodstuff to be batched.

The base 11 is further equipped with the most adequate batching and/or portioning means for the type of foodstuff contained inside the chamber 14. Between base 11 and reverse- cup-shaped element 12, at least one sealing gasket 1 according to the present invention is placed, in order to insulate the chamber 14, and therefore the foodstuff contained inside it, from the outside and prevent air from re-circulating.

In the preferred embodiment of the batching device 1 according to the present invention like vessel/grater for cheese, the base 11 is composed in particular of a circular sleeve inside which a circular grating plate is transversally secured and composed the bottom of the containing chamber 14.

A threaded rod 17 whose axis is parallel to the base 11 axis, extends upwards from the centre of the grating plate 18 inside the chamber 14. A pressing plate (not shown) having an external perimeter, in this case a squared one, that reproduces the shape of the internal wall of the reverse-cup- shaped element 12, is engaged by the threaded rod 17 through a

central threaded hole thereof. When grating, the rotation of the reverse-cup-shaped element (to which the piece of cheese is fixed) , with respect to the base 11, implies an upward translation of the pressing plate along the rod 17 and the compression of the piece of cheese against the plate 18, which is thereby crumbled into fragments that fall downwards.

The reverse-cup-shaped element has, in the area of its mouth, a flange 19 having an external perimeter that reproduces the outline of the internal cross section of the base 11. The flange 19 is kept associated with the faced surface of the plate 18 through projections 20 that radially project from the internal part of the base 11. In order to increase the sealing effect of the gasket 1 according to the present invention against air re-circulation inside the chamber 14, the lower edge of the base 11 could be closed by a removable cover (not shown) .

The flange 19 is further equipped with at least one receiving and fastening seat 21 of an engagement pin 6 of the gasket 1 according to the present invention. Obviously, the number of seats 21, as well as their geometric arrangement, is at least corresponding to the number of small feet 5, and their related securing pins 6, and their arrangement on the lower face of the gasket 1. The gasket 1 is therefore arranged coaxially to the reverse-cup-shaped element and the base 11. In particular, the reverse-cup-shaped element is inserted

through the opening 4 of the gasket 1. Preferably, therefore, the perimetral shape of the opening 4 reproduces the shape of the external wall of the reverse-cup-shaped element. According to such arrangement, the gasket 1 in particular has such a diameter as to allow the sealing edge 3 to adhere against the internal wall of the sleeve of the base 11 to prevent the passage of air from and to the chamber 14 and its recirculation inside.