Self-venting microwave cooking container for use with a vertical fill automated machine

Abstract

A self-venting microwave cooking container for use with a vertical fill automated machine generally comprises a bag portion, a tray portion, and a venting configuration. The bag portion defines an opening for receiving a food product from a vertical fill automated machine, and the tray portion includes a floor having a surface for supporting the food product. Once the food has been delivered to the container, the opening is sealed, and the food product is maintained within the container and ready for subsequent cooking in a microwave oven.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60 / 462,751 filed Apr. 14, 2003 and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60 / 469,155 filed May 9, 2003, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by this reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to the field of cooking devices, and, more particularly, to cooking containers for use in a microwave oven to cook meats, vegetables, and other food products. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Consumers often prefer to cook food in a microwave oven rather than conventional ovens because of the reduced cooking time required to heat foods in a microwave oven. Consumers also want to be provided with the opportunity to cook pre-packaged food products in the package in which they were purchased without the hassle of transferring the food from one container to the next. Unfortunately, however, foods cooked in a microwave oven ten...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] It is contemplated that the strength and degree of adhesive power of the seal used to close the opening are sufficient to maintain the integrity of the food product held within the container until it is prepared for consumption. Accordingly, additional external packaging, such as a cardboard sleeve or box, is not necessary to maintain the integrity of the packaging. It is further contemplated that the container may be constructed from a material capable of being printed with high-quality graphics, such as polypropylene. Accordingly, external packaging is not necessary to display graphics and information about the product contained therein. As such, the need for external packaging is eliminated, reducing the overall cost of producing the container and reducing the amount material thrown away following consumption of the food product.

[0011] The microwave cooking container uses a steam cooking method to prepare the food product. Such method is described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,559,431, which has been incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, the container is designed to maintain a constant volume until the pressure from the steam increases to a point that it causes venting to occur. Because the volume remains constant until venting occurs, the steam-induced pressure builds within the closed volume. The heightened pressure resulting from the presence of the trapped steam causes the temperature within the container to increase above a temperature able to be achieved at ambient pressures. Steam cooking using the container thus results in more consistent heating throughout the food product, faster preparation time, and an end product with desirable texture and consistency. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the container includes a venting configuration, which is designed to facilitate controlled venting of the container at a predetermined location, for example, along the seal of the opening or at a weakened area of the bag portion.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, however, foods cooked in a microwave oven tend to be tough and / or dry in texture and consistency, rather than tender and moist.

When liquid is added to the food in an attempt to retain moisture, the food can become soggy and undesirable.

In addition, microwave ovens do not evenly distribute heat to the product being cooked.

This results in a cooked food product that may be very hot in one area, but cold in another area.

Because of these problems, many people consider microwave cooking to be problematic and generally undesirable.

This relief often comes in the form of an explosion forcing the covering from the base of the container, resulting in food being ejected from the container.

Not only does such an explosion create a mess, but it also undermines the attempt to use steam to cook the food product because the explosion causes a rapid release of the collected steam from the no longer sealed cooking environment.

These vents create a weakened portion in the seal between the container's covering and its base.

The seal between the container's covering and its base is broken at the point where the pressure release occurs, creating a tab which may be grasped or otherwise used to pull the covering from the base, breaking the remainder of the seal such that consumption of the food product may occur.

Such self-venting containers have a variety of applications in the field of food storage and preparation; however, one of their limitations is the lack of compatibility with vertical fill automated machines.

Because traditional food-storage bags filled by a vertical fill automated machine lack the enhanced cooking benefits of the self-venting containers described above, food products that have been stored in and thereafter cooked in such storage bags typically lack desirable texture and consistency.

Images