Food can drainer
OwnerHamilton E. Homesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A food can drainer for a can containing a solid foodstuff and packing fluid is a foraminous sheet sized to fit an end of the can when the can is open at that end, with holes in the sheet sized to retain the foodstuff in the can, yet allow flow of the packing fluid when the can is tipped to decant the fluid. For typical cylindrical cans such as tuna or salmon, the drainer is a perforated disc sized to fit snugly in the can so that, when the can is inverted, packing fluid flows out of the holes in the disc and manual pressure can be exerted to squeeze out excess fluid. The holes are positioned so that the packing fluid forms a stream in the approximate center of the drainer. The drainer can be installed in the can during or after canning.
Claims9
A food can drainer installed within a can that has a top and a bottom and contains a solid, spongy foodstuff and packing fluid, comprising a foraminous, substantially planar structure having outside dimensions sized to fit the interior of the can top and having holes spaced over substantially the entire planar surface and being fabricated so that, when the drainer is installed within the top of the can, packing fluid can be pressed therefrom, said drainer being fabricated to withstand manual pressure exerted between the drainer positioned within the top of the can and the can bottom, to enhance flow of the packing fluid.
A method for pressing fluid from a spongy food product contained in a can having a top and a bottom and containing fluid, comprising placing within a can prior to closing a foraminous, substantially planar drainer sized to fit within the interior of the can top and having holes arranged over substantially the entire drainer and fabricated so that, when the drainer is installed at the top of the can, packing fluid can be pressed therefrom, said drainer being fabricated to also withstand manual pressure exerted between the top of the can and its bottom, to enhance flow of the decanted packing fluid when the drainer is pressed against the can bottom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.