Self-venting microwave cooking container for use with a vertical fill automated machine
OwnerGary Hopkinsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-venting microwave cooking container (10) for use with a vertical fill automated machine generally comprises a bag portion (12), a tray portion (14), and a venting configuration (16). The bag portion (12) defines an opening (18) for receiving a food product from a vertical fill automated machine, and the tray portion (14) includes a floor having a surface (32) for supporting the food product. Once the food has been delivered to the container, the opening (18) is sealed, and the food product is maintained within the container and ready for subsequent cooking in a microwave oven.
Claims12
A self-venting microwave cooking container for use with a vertical fill automated machine, comprising:
- a bag portion defining an opening for receiving a food product, wherein the opening is sealed after the food product has been received by said container, enclosing a predetermined volume within said bag portion for subsequent cooking of the food product in the container;
- a tray portion positioned within and adjacent a floor of said bag portion and having a surface for supporting the food product;
- and
- a venting configuration in fluid communication with the volume enclosed within said bag portion for preferential venting at a predetermined location when the food product is cooked in said container.
A self-venting microwave cooking container for use with a vertical fill automated machine, comprising:
- a tray portion having a bottom surface and a side wall extending therefrom and terminating at an upper rim that is in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom surface of said tray portion, said upper rim circumscribing an opening into the interior of the tray portion;
- a bag portion defining an opening for receiving food product at one end, said bag portion also defining a lower opening that is substantially the same size and shape as the opening into the interior of the tray portion, allowing a bottom side of the bag portion to be joined to the 15 upper rim of the tray portion, with the lower opening of the bag portion substantially in registry with the opening into the interior of the tray portion;
- and
- a venting configuration in fluid communication with a volume enclosed within said tray portion and said bag portion;
- wherein the opening into the bag portion is sealed after the food product has been received by said container for subsequent cooking of the food product in the container;
- and
- wherein said venting configuration causes preferential venting at predetermined location when the food product is cooked in said container.
A method for packaging food product in a microwave cooking container that includes a bag portion defining an opening for receiving the food product and a tray portion having a surface for supporting the food product, comprising the steps of:
- delivering food product to said container from a vertical fill automated machine through the opening defined by said bag portion;
- sealing the opening defined by said bag portion, thereby securing the food product within said container;
- and
- providing the container with a venting configuration for preferential venting when the food product is cooked in said container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.