# US 2017/0283155 A1 · Self-contained meal assembly with steam vent > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0283155 A1 - Document ID: US20170283155A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/188,053 - Filed: 2016-06-21 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-18 - Assignees: Mishkin Holdings LLC - Applicants: Mishkin Holdings LLC - Inventors: Saul Mishkin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170283155A1 ## CPC - B65D 81/3484: {Packages having self-contained heating means, e.g. heating generated by the reaction of two chemicals (warming devices A47J36/24)} - A23L 5/13: {using water or steam} - A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs - B65D 2205/02: Venting holes - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION ## Abstract A self-contained meal assembly comprises a heating bag, a food pouch, and a heating element. In operation, a heating element is placed along a bottom portion of a heating bag, a food pouch is placed inside proximate the heating element, a predetermined amount of water or other nonflammable aqueous liquid is added, and the heating bag is resealed thereby allowing an exothermic reaction to occur within the heating bag. One or more steam vents may be formed through a heating bag allow steam to discharge from the interior of the heating bag during operation. The configuration of the steam vent(s) allows a controlled release of high temperature steam from the heating bag as it circulates within the heating bag to the steam vent(s) at a safe discharge angle relative to the sides of the heating bag. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A self-contained hot meal assembly including: a heating bag, a resealable opening disposed on one end of said heating bag, a base disposed on another end of said heating bag opposite said releasable opening, a heating element, a food pouch comprising an amount of a food product at least temporarily sealed therein, and said heating bag dimensioned and configured to allow said heating element and said food pouch to be operatively positioned therein. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein said base is dimensioned and configured to maintain said heating bag in a substantially upright operative orientation while in use. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein said heating bag comprises at least one steam vent through a portion thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said at least one steam vent is formed through an upper portion of said heating bag below said resealable opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said at least one steam vent is formed through said heating bag so as to discharge steam at an angle of approximately ninety degrees relative to a side of said heating bag. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said heating element comprises a predetermined amount of a reactive composition. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said reactive composition is reactive with a predeteremined amount of a nonflammable aqueous liquid to initiate an exothermic reaction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said predetermined amount of said reactive composition of said heating element is reactive with a predetermined amount of a nonflammable aqueous liquid to generate enough heat to maintain a threshold temperature within said heating bag for about 3 minutes to about 5 minutes, thereby heating said amount of food product in said food pouch for consumption by a user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said threshold temperature is about 105 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 10 A self-contained hot meal assembly including: a heating bag, a resealable opening disposed on one end of said heating bag, a base disposed on another end of said heating bag opposite said releasable opening, wherein said base is dimensioned and configured to maintain said heating bag in a substantially upright operative orientation while in use, at least one steam vent formed through an upper portion of said heating bag below said resealable opening, a heating element comprising a predetermined amount of a reactive composition, a food pouch comprising an amount of a food product at least temporarily sealed therein, and said heating bag dimensioned and configured to allow said heating element and said food pouch to be operatively positioned therein. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said at least one steam vent is formed through said heating bag so as to discharge steam at an angle of approximately ninety degrees relative to a side of said heating bag. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The assembly as recited in claim 10 comprising a plurality of steam vents formed through said upper portion of said heating bag. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein each of said plurality of steam vents is formed through said heating bag so as to discharge steam at an angle of approximately ninety degrees relative to a side of said heating bag. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said predetermined amount of said reactive composition of said heating element is reactive with a predetermined amount of a nonflammable aqueous liquid to generate enough heat to maintain a threshold temperature within said heating bag for about 3 minutes to about 5 minutes, thereby heating said amount of food product in said food pouch for consumption by a user. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein said threshold temperature is about 105 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said base comprises an expandable construction. ### Claim 17 A method for preparing a hot meal for consumption by a user utilizing a self-contained hot meal assembly, said method comprising: opening a resealable opening of a heating bag and removing a food pouch therefrom, positioning a heating element in a lower portion of the heating bag, placing a food pouch containing an amount of a food product at least temporarily sealed therein proximate the heating element in the heating bag, adding a predetermined amount of a nonflammable aqueous liquid to the heating bag thereby initiating an exothermic reaction with a reactive composition in the heating element, resealing the resealable opening of the heating bag, and positioning the heating bag in a substantially upright operative orientation and allowing steam generated by the exothermic reaction to heat an amount of food product in the food pouch. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method as recited in claim 17 wherein adding the predetermined amount of the nonflammable aqueous liquid to the heating bag further comprises adding about three fluid ounces of the nonflammable aqueous liquid to the heating bag. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method as recited in claim 17 wherein positioning the heating bag in the substantially upright operative orientation further comprises positioning at least one steam vent formed through the heating bag so as to discharge steam from a side of the heating bag in a direction away from the user or other people. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method as recited in claim 17 wherein adding the predetermined amount of the nonflammable aqueous liquid to the reactive composition of the heating element in the heating bag generates enough heat to maintain a temperature of about 105 degrees Celsius within the resealed heating bag for about 3 minutes to about 5 minutes, thereby heating the amount of food product in the food pouch for consumption by the user.