Dough product and method of packaging
AssigneeGeneral Mills, Inc.
InventorJim T. BUCCELLATO
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A canned dough product includes at least one dough product loaded in a lower compartment of a container and at least one additional ingredient provided in an upper compartment, with the upper and lower compartments being spaced by a separator. The dough expands upon proofing in the container, causing the separator to shift and vary the volumes of the compartments. The expanding dough abuts a central region of the separator, causing the separator to flex, engage an inner surface of the container and become fixed in the container, while the lower compartment becomes fluidly sealed from the upper compartment and different pressures are established in the compartments.
Claims23
A canned dough product comprising:
- a container having an interior cavity;
- at least one dough product which is housed and proofs within the container;
- at least one additional ingredient housed within the container;
- and
- a separator dividing the interior cavity into a first compartment housing the at least one dough product and a second compartment housing the at least one additional ingredient, wherein the separator is configured to initially float within the container so as to enable volumes of the first and second compartments to vary and to subsequently become fixed within the interior cavity upon proofing of the at least one dough product.
A canned dough product comprising:
- a container having an interior cavity;
- at least one dough product which is housed and proofs within the container;
- at least one additional ingredient housed within the container;
- and
- a separator dividing the interior cavity into a first compartment housing the at least one dough product and a second compartment housing the at least one additional ingredient, wherein said separator includes a base portion, leading to an upstanding wall portion, and a central region, spaced from both the base portion and the upstanding wall portion, which the dough abuts and deflects upon proofing.
A method of packaging a canned dough product comprising:
- closing off a lower end of a container tube;
- loading at least one dough product into an interior cavity of the tube;
- inserting a separator into the interior cavity, with the separator dividing the interior cavity into a lower compartment within which the at least one dough product is contained and an upper compartment;
- loading an additional ingredient into the upper compartment;
- closing off an upper end of the container tube;
- and
- proofing the at least one dough product in the tube, initially causing the separator to float within the tube so as to vary volumes of the lower and upper compartments and, subsequently, to become fixed within the interior cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.