Packaging and Process for Cooking Food Products in an Oven

Abstract

An improved packaging and process for cooking food products in an oven is disclosed, the packaging comprising a lower panel not containing any perforations; an upper panel containing a plurality of perforations, and where the upper panel and lower panel are coupled to define at least one food compartment to store at least one food product. The plurality of perforations allows for cooking of the food in an oven when the food packaging is placed in the oven with the lower panel facing downward. The present invention allows the food product to be easily transported, properly cooked in an oven to an optional consistency and quality, and provided to the consumer with minimal costs and efforts.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the field of food packaging. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved packaging and process for cooking food products in an oven.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The global food industry is a four trillion dollar industry, accounting for a substantial portion of the global economy. In the United States alone, for example, total food sales topped 1.6 trillion dollars in 2010, making up over 11 percent of the country's growth domestic product. With the world population increasing to 7 billion, the demand for food has accordingly grown significantly in recent years, as evident in the continuing growth of food products sales in not only supermarkets and traditional food stores but also in restaurants and other non-traditional food providers.

Indeed, the demand has evolved in recent years. Today's consumers are demanding higher quality food products in more locations than ever before. Even in environments that have traditionally been reserved for “junk food” or “fast food” products, consumers expect the same quality of food that they would have traditionally only been able to receive in restaurants. For example, on airplanes, today's passengers expect that higher quality food products be available during their flights. The traditional food trays that have been used in the airline industry for decades—often comprising processed portions of meat, vegetables and starches—are no longer sufficient. Furthermore, the food must not only taste great to the consumer but also must minimize health risks where possible. The popularity of baked goods and other healthier option alternatives to fried and overly-processed food products has surged in recent years. Even fast food restaurants are offering healthier options for consumers.

Yet, consumers also expect that food products be provided as quickly as possible. Whether cooking food at home in one's own kitchen or eating while one is traveling on the road, the food must be cooked and delivered with minimal delay to today's often-impatient consumers. Nowhere is this demand for faster food more evident than in the fast food and non-traditional food services industry, which often must deliver food to the customers within minutes of the order.

These dual demands—quality and speed—are often considered conflicting attributes of food delivery and it has been difficult to achieve both. Often is the case that food products that are high quality in nature (i.e., good taste and minimally processed) require extensive preparation and cooking time. Similarly, certain food products—such as those found in fast food meals—may be produced at lightning-fast speed, but may be of poor quality.

This problem is compounded considerably for non-traditional food services such as those serving food products on airplanes, trains, or even at recreational and entertainment centers. In these unique locations, high quantities of food must be cooked and delivered to the consumer in a little time despite significant environmental restraints that make meeting the demands of consumers even more difficult. For example, on commercial airplanes, because the food products must be cooked in small, temperature-restricted ovens and must be done so in a limited amount of time, the resulting food products are often poor quality and unsatisfactory to passengers. Further, the number of product options offered are often limited and do not include the variety and types of food that many consumers would like to have, even on an airplane. Instead, the available food products are often food trays consisting of a meat product, a vegetable product, and a starch product, resembling that of a low-end TV-dinner tray. At the same time, the food products are often transported and carried on board the airplane in containers that take up considerable space and weight, both of which are limited on a commercial airplane. Even in amusement parks and sports arenas, while there are less cooking-method restrictions, mass quantities of food must be produced in a consistent manner to thousands of consumers. The food products are often made far in advance and are often unhealthy and greasy. Indeed, the current solutions for providing and cooking food in these unique environments are lackluster. These solutions not only fail to transport, cook and deliver the food products to consumers in a manner that minimizes the necessary preparation procedures, the time to cook, and the weight and size of the packaging, but they most importantly fail to provide food products that meet the quality demands of today's consumers.

Accordingly, there is an important need for an improved manner in which high quality food may be cooked and delivered to consumers in these restricted environments that also meets the quality and time constraints set by today's consumers. Specifically and for additional reasons discussed below, there is an important need for improved packaging and process for cooking food products in an oven such as those on airplanes, trains, in amusement parks and other places.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The presently disclosed invention satisfies at least some of the above-described needs by introducing an improved packaging for cooking food products. With a novel food packaging that contains perforations only on one side of the container, food products may be easily transported, properly cooked in an oven, and provided to the consumer to be enjoyed, all the while requiring minimal cost and time. The use of the packaging further satisfies the demands of the consumer by providing a food product that may be cooked quickly but also be high in quality. The consumers, therefore, may enjoy food products that have traditionally been reserved for restaurants on airplanes and trains, in sports arenas and others. Furthermore, the packaging is minimal in size and weight, offering additional benefits in its use on airplanes, trains and in other similar constraining environments.

In one aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide for a food packaging comprising a lower panel not containing any perforations; and an upper panel containing a plurality of perforations, the upper panel and lower panel coupled to define at least one food compartment to store the at food product; where the plurality of perforations allows for cooking of the at least one food product in an oven, the food packaging being placed in the oven with the lower panel facing downward. In one embodiment, the oven is an airplane oven.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, the upper and lower panel each comprises a plurality of layers, where the plurality of layers includes a layer of film material. This plurality of layers may include a layer of greaseproof material or a layer of paper material, for example. The use of a greaseproof film may reduce fire risks, which is an especially important factor on airplanes, trains and other similar environments.

In some embodiments, the packaging's upper panel may contain at least 40 perforations per square inch. In one embodiment, there may be 90 or even 160 perforations per square inch. Furthermore, in at least one embodiment, the food packaging holds and cooks French fries. The use of perforations in the upper panel of the packaging allows for the potatoes to be cooked to a crispy consistency.

In at least one other embodiment, the packaging further comprises a standing panel coupled to the upper panel and the lower panel, where the standing panel allows the food packaging to be held upright when the food packaging is delivered to the consumer. Furthermore, the food packaging may contain a plurality of food compartments, where the state and/or position of each of the plurality of food compartment is tailored for a particular type of food.

In another aspect of the invention, an improved process of packaging and cooking at least one food product is claimed, the method comprising, receiving at least one food product in a food packaging, the food packaging including a lower panel not containing any perforation and an upper panel containing a plurality of perforations, with the upper panel and lower panel coupled to define at least one food compartment to store at least one food product; placing the food packaging in the oven with the lower panel facing downward; cooking the at least one food product in the oven after the placing step; and delivering the at least one food product to the at least one consumer.

In at least one embodiment, the food is delivered to at least one consumer in the packaging. Further, the food packaging may include a standing panel coupled to the upper panel and the lower panel, the method further comprising the step of placing the food packaging upon the standing panel, thereby allowing the food packaging to be placed in an upright position.

Similarly, in certain embodiments, the step of cooking the at least one food product takes place in an oven of an airplane. Further, the upper and lower panels each may include a plurality of layers, where at least one layer of the plurality of layer is a layer of film material and may include a layer of greaseproof material or a layer of paper material, for example. Further, the packaging may define a plurality of food compartments, each of which may be tailored for a particular type of food.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to facilitate a fuller understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are referenced with like numerals. These drawings should not be construed as limiting the present invention, but are intended to be exemplary only.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating an improved process of packaging and cooking at least one food product according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B, illustrate one embodiment of the packaging for cooking food products.

FIG. 3 illustrates the placement of another embodiment of the presently disclosed packaging, as placed into the oven for cooking.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the upper panel, containing one pattern of the plurality of perforations packaging.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the upper panel, containing another pattern of the plurality of perforations packaging.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the upper panel, containing yet another pattern of the plurality of perforations packaging.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate an embodiment of the upper panel, containing the hybrid pattern of the plurality of perforations packaging and illustrate the amount of moisture that escapes against the total area of perforation in a packaging.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate an embodiment of the upper panel, containing a pattern of perforations containing groupings of perforations and illustrating the moisture flow during the cooking process within this pattern.

FIG. 9 illustrates a single uniform sheet of material that is used during the assembly of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates the coupling of the upper and lower panels along the edges of the panel according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates the assembling of another embodiment of the present invention comprising a plurality of assembled layers.

FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment containing a standing panel that facilitates the holding of the panel in an upright position.

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment containing standing flaps that facilitate the holding of the panel in an upright position.

FIG. 14 illustrates another embodiment containing a perforation cover flap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the presently disclosed invention provide an improved packaging and process for cooking food products in an oven. Specifically, the presently disclosed improved packaging contains a plurality of perforations on a portion of the packaging, such as only one panel of the packaging. When placed in an oven for cooking, the packaging allows the food contained in the packaging to be cooked properly to produce a cooked food product that is high in quality and that is highly enjoyable to the consumer.

Beginning with the accompanying FIG. 1, the process of providing and cooking at least one food product in an oven is shown. Starting at step 100, the food packaging is received containing the stored food product to be cooked. The manufacturer has assembled the food packaging from sheets of basic materials and has placed the food products into the assembled food packaging. The manufacturing is completed through a very efficient manufacturing process. As will be discussed in more detail, the novel packaging contains a plurality of perforations on at least one panel, which serves to facilitate the cooking of the food products to a proper quality. From the manufacturer, the food packaging is transported in various manners well known in the art to the location at which it will be cooked. For example, the food products may be stored in a flash-frozen or fresh state in the packaging, and the packaging may be delivered to an airplane to be cooked when the airplane is in flight.

Once it is time to cook the food product, at step 104, the food packaging may be placed directly in an oven such that its lower panel is placed on the surface of an oven grill or other similar surfaces. The food product is then cooked within the packaging. The heat of the activated oven forces the moisture contained within the food product to be released from the food product and from the packaging through the plurality of perforations. The release of moisture during the cooking process causes the food product to have a preferred consistency and taste that is satisfactory to consumers. The temperature and duration of cooking the food product contained in the food packaging may vary depending on the oven, the food product itself, and according to the results desired (e.g., very crispy fries or less crispy fries).

After an amount of time in the active oven, the food product, which is still contained within the food compartment of the food packaging, is ready to be served to the consumer at step 108. The novel packaging allows the packaging to be delivered and presented directly to the consumer (e.g., airplane passenger) with minimal further preparation. In one embodiment, rather than directly delivering the food product to the consumer still in the packaging, the food product may be taken out of the packaging by the person preparing the food (e.g., flight attendant), and placed on a plate. This method may be preferred for business-class passengers on a flight.

FIG. 2A of the present invention illustrates one such embodiment of the food packaging 200, which may comprise an upper panel 204, a lower panel 208, a plurality of perforations 212, opening flaps 216, and an information portion 220.

Through the use of the upper panel 204 and the lower panel 208, the packaging 200 holds the food product after the product is manufactured or prepared in methods well known in the art. As seen in FIG. 2B, the panels are adjoined in such a manner as to create a food compartment 224 in which the food product(s) may be stored. After the food product(s) is placed between the panels, the panels are coupled so as to completely seal off the food product(s) from contamination during transport. It is within this food compartment 224 of the packaging 200 that the food is transported, cooked and delivered to the consumer with minimal effort and without requiring the use of additional packaging or materials. Thus, the packaging 200 offers many benefits including convenience, cost efficiency, and ease of use.

As discussed above briefly, when the packaging containing the food product is ready to be cooked, the packaging is placed directly in the oven with the lower panel 208 facing downward or approximately downward. Correspondingly, the upper panel 204 faces upward and/or outward, at least approximately or partially. FIG. 3 illustrates this method of placing another possible embodiment of the presently disclosed packaging 300 within an oven 304 on the oven grill 308, wherein the oven 304 comprises heating element 312. When the oven is activated to a particular temperature according to the food product contained therein, which may be 240 degrees Celsius, the heat created by heating element 312 causes the moisture contained within the food product to change into a gaseous state (i.e., steam) which rises in an outward fashion from the food product. The plurality of perforations allows the steam to be released in the path shown in FIG. 3, as indicated by the steam 316. Allowing the steam to escape produces an end product that has the consistency and taste similar to, if not identical to or indistinguishable from, similar food products that are cooked and produced in a normal fashion. For example, French fries may taste quite similar to those that are fried in a restaurant.

After the cooking phase, the food product may be taken from the oven and delivered directly in the packaging 300 to the consumer, thereby minimizing the time and steps necessary to provide the product to the consumer. Referring once again to FIGS. 2A and 2B, once the packaging is presented to the consumer, he or she may readily identify that the food product is what he or she ordered by examining the information portion 220 and may open the packaging by pulling the opening flaps 216 to disengage the coupling of the upper and lower panels 204 and 208 to expose the food compartment 224 and the food product(s) contained therein.

The following describes the components and features of the packaging in more detail, including the discussion of additional embodiments that are well within the scope of the presently disclosed invention.

The Panels

As seen by FIGS. 2A and 2B, the presently disclosed packaging contains an upper panel 204 and a lower panel 208, which, together, allow for the storing and the cooking of the food products in an oven. The panels are not limited to the square or even rectangular shapes that are depicted in the accompanying figures and do not necessarily have to be of the same size to one another. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the panels might be of any shape, size or formation as necessary to facilitate the purpose of the invention. For example, the panels may be shaped in the general shape and size of the food products the packaging contains. Thus, a slice of pizza may be stored in an embodiment of the presently disclosed packaging that is triangular in shape and conforming to the shape and size of the particular pizza slice it contains. This would minimize the space and size of the container itself during transport and handling. As will be discussed in further detail in the discussion of the manufacturing of the packaging, this may save on cost, weight, and space, all of which are important factors.

One of ordinary skill in the art would also recognize that the food packaging may comprise additional panels and/or components that are well within the scope of the invention and as necessary to facilitate the purpose of the invention. As shown in FIG. 3, for example and discussed in detail below, the food packaging may contain a plurality of panels as needed or desired. According to one embodiment, the packaging has two panels. According to another embodiment, the packaging has six panels.

The panels may be made of any number of materials. In one preferred embodiment, the panels are made of a film of polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”), which is a material well known in the art. Other possible materials that may be used include, but are not limited to, polylactide, biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride films, copolyester films, polylactic acide, other biopolymers and other well known materials known in the art, or combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the materials of the lower panel differ from that of the upper panel. This may be dependent on the type of food that the packaging is holding and may be customized according to the types of food. The differing materials may allow for the cooking of different portions of the food product(s) at the differing temperatures as necessary to achieve the ideal quality of the final product. Thus, using the slice of pizza as an example, the lower panel may be of a material that will allow the surface of the lower panel to rise to a higher temperature than that of the upper panel. By doing so, the crust of the pizza may cook at a faster rate than the top surface of the pizza, which is covered in cheese and need not be cooked at the same high temperature. By using different types of materials for the panels, one may produce a slice of pizza that has a crispy crust and yet a cheese surface that is merely heated or melted, rather than burnt.

The packaging may be configured of differing materials (different materials or similar/same material that has been modified) in other ways to achieve a goal of heating the food product in a temperature-differential manner or otherwise to seek a particular heat gradient.

Each panel may be made up of a number of layers of film or materials that may be different or the same type of material. In one embodiment, for example, each panel may consist of a layer of polyethylene terephthalate and a layer of greaseproof paper. The differing layers may be of differing thickness as needed. For example, in the one embodiment, the upper and lower panels each comprise a 38 gsm layer of greaseproof paper and a 30 μm layer of polyethylene terephthalate film. Each individual layer may be coupled together to form each panel, such as by lamination, but this is not necessary in all embodiments.

Any number of combinations of layers might be combined so that the packaging may have the beneficial attributes inherent in each of the layers contained therein. Thus, additional layers of material may be used to increase the strength, durability, attractiveness, ease-of-use, cooking speed, breathability, cooking quality, cleanliness, or other beneficial attributes of the packaging as needed. For example, a packaging that has greaseproof paper as the outside layer of the packaging, along with an inner PET film layer that contacts the food product offers several benefits, including increasing the packaging's strength, improving the feel of the packaging, and decreasing hazards. For one, the use of multiple layers consisting of greaseproof paper and PET improves the strength of the packaging and prevents accidental lateral tearing of the packaging during transport and handling. Further, the use of greaseproof paper and PET at such a thickness provides a more substantive texture and weight to the packaging, which improves the feel of the packaging when the consumer is handling the packaging during his or her meal. In addition, the use of a material that is greaseproof prevents grease and other flame-inciting liquids from dripping down onto the heating instrument 312 of an oven 304 of FIG. 3 during the cooking process, thereby reducing the risk of fire and smoke. This is an especially important attribute for packaging that is placed in the ovens of airplanes and other vehicles.

The upper panel 204 and lower panel 208 may be coupled by way of adhesives or other methods well known in the art. The upper panel 204 and lower panel 208 may be coupled at the outer edges of the panels, so as to create the food compartment 224 in which food products may be stored, cooked and presented. In certain embodiments, including that illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the upper panel 204 and lower panel 208 are coupled in the upper portion and lower portion of the panels in a manner so as to create opening flaps 216 in the upper and lower portions of the panels. The opening flap 216, for example, may allow a consumer to easily open the wrapped packaging after it has been cooked in the oven.

The upper panel of the packaging contains a plurality of perforations 212. When the packaging containing a food product is placed in an active oven, the plurality of perforations allows moisture to escape during the cooking process, preferably at a predetermined or predictable rate or range of rates.

By allowing moisture to escape, certain types of food may be properly cooked. For example, the use of perforations allows for the cooking of food products to the desired and intended consistency. Thus, French fries, fried fish, onion rings, and even pizza may have a crispy consistency as would be expected from a consumer. Without the use of perforations, a packaging, such as the currently known food packaging used in the industry, would contain the moisture within the packaging throughout the cooking process, forcing the moisture to continuously circulate within the packaging. This has several disadvantages.

For one, this reduces the amount of heat that a food product may absorb, significantly slowing down the cooking process even further. In addition, the presence of the circulating moisture in the food packaging will ultimately cause the food in the packaging to absorb the moisture, resulting in an inconsistently cooked and low-quality end product that is often mushy and/or soft. Thus, without the novel use of perforations in only one panel of the packaging, the contained moisture ultimately causes the resulting French fries, fried fish, onion rings, or pizza to have a soft mushy texture and consistency, accompanied by poor taste. These prior attempts at food packaging, therefore, fail to meet the quality demands of today's consumers by producing end-products that are of low quality.

Whereas the upper panel contains a plurality of perforations, the lower panel of the currently disclosed packaging preferably does not contain any perforations. While the upper panel's perforations allow moisture to escape, the lower panel serves different purposes. For one, the lower panel prevents grease and moisture from escaping and/or dripping from the packaging when the packaging is placed in the oven for cooking. The dripping of moisture, which may be grease, water or other liquids, onto the heating instruments of the oven, may cause the emission of smoke and or the flaring of fire within the oven.

By only using perforations on the upper panel, moisture may only escape primarily in the form of steam during the cooking process and even then only in a controlled manner upward and outward. The prevention of fire is an important requirement in products that are used on airplanes, trains and in other commercial environments. The lack of perforations on the lower panel also allows the packaging to be transported without foreign substances or bacterial or viruses entering the bottom of the packaging. Further, the lack of perforations on the lower panel is essential in maintaining the structural strength and integrity of the packaging. As discussed in more detail below, because the plurality of perforations in the upper panel inherently weakens the strength of the upper panel, it is important to ensure that the structure of the lower panel is at least maintained, even when force is applied to it, during the packaging's handling and transport.

In certain embodiments, the lower panel, side panels or other panels may also contain a number of perforations. This may be necessary to properly cook certain types of food products, especially those that require greater amounts of moisture to be released from the packaging container.

The upper and lower panels may contain additional features that facilitate the cooking of the product or even the eating of the product. For example, instead of or in addition to the presence of the opening flaps 216, the packaging may contain indentations so as to allow the easy ripping of the packaging.

As briefly discussed above, the panels may further contain marking information 220. This marking information may be a logo of the manufacturer or may be information related to the food products contained in the packaging. Thus, this portion of the packaging may contain nutritional information about the food product (e.g., caloric, fact, and/or cholesterol information) or it may contain instructions on how to cook and/or eat the item contained therein, or other information as desired by the manufacturer. It should be readily understood that this marking information 220 area may be larger or smaller as desired. In another embodiment, this portion may simply be an adhesive paper or film that is placed on the upper or lower panel as needed during the manufacturing process. Further, in another embodiment that contains an outermost layer that is made up of paper or those that simply use paper as the panels, similar information may be printed directly on the surface of the panels themselves.

The Plurality of Perforations

The plurality of perforations 212 may be a plurality of circles, squares, diamonds, stars or any other shapes and/or forms. The perforations may be evenly spaced across the width of a portion of the upper panel or may be placed in any number of patterns or positions. The plurality of perforations of certain preferred embodiments are discussed in detail below. In one embodiment, there may be 40 perforations per square inch in the upper panel of the packaging. In the preferred embodiments, there may be 90 or even 160 perforations per square inch.

An exemplary pattern of the plurality of perforations on the upper panel is shown in FIG. 4. In this example, the perforations are positioned in a plurality of the columns on the upper panel 400. It should be readily understood that the plurality of perforations illustrated in the Figures accompanying this detailed description are for illustrative purposes only and often have been enlarged in order to more easily illustrate the perforation's purposes and designs.

In particular, each column of perforations in FIG. 4 is offset against the columns of perforations adjacent to its position. This serves to maximize the number of perforations per square inch while also maintaining structural strength. In some upper panels, such as those depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the columns of perforations do not offset but are positioned so as to create a grid of perforations. The structural strength is an important factor of the packaging and may be further improved by using certain preferred patterns of perforations.

An upper panel with a greater number of perforations per square inch allows more moisture to escape during the cooking process. In certain embodiments, it may be preferable to have a lower number of perforations per square inch, thereby controlling the amount of moisture that escapes from the packaging. For example, in food products that require longer cooking time, a smaller number of perforations may be preferable such that the amount of moisture is allowed to escape over that longer span of time. In certain types of food products, this may be necessary to ensure that some moisture is retained and that the product is not overly dry when delivered to the consumer for consumption.

In certain other embodiments, some portions of the number of perforations may differ from one area of the upper panel to other areas of the upper panel. This may be ideal for some types of food products that have more concentrated areas of moisture than others. Also some types of food may favor a temperature differential or temperature gradient across the food. If the packaging container contains multiple food items, temperature variation across the package may be needed and can be accomplished by strategic selection of the types of perforations used, the size of perforations used, and the location of them. The types of perforations may also differ based on how the food products are manufactured or transported—whether it be in frozen form or in fresh form—or may be customized according to the known cooking environment. For example, because the ovens on airplanes are known to be of a smaller space and may have a lower maximum temperature than other ovens, the number of perforations may be customized accordingly. Ovens on trains or other vehicles may have different operating parameters and thus, the perforations may be sized and placed differently.

A balance must be maintained when using perforations on the upper panel. Particularly, the number of perforations necessary to allow moisture to escape must be balanced with the amount of materials between those perforations necessary to maintain the structural integrity of the upper panel and thereby the structural integrity of the packaging. Indeed, an upper panel with too many perforations or perforations that are too large will frequently tear or rip during transporting and/or handling. The presently disclosed invention inherently maintains a higher structural strength than other possible solutions. While a packaging with one large opening—as distinguishable by a number of perforations used in the present invention—does allow moisture to escape, they are inherently weak and are often subject to easy tearing or other undesirable deformities during transport or handling. Thus, the presently claimed invention improves upon other possible solutions. Indeed, there are numerous other manners that the currently disclosed invention improves upon over other possible solutions, which are discussed in other portions of this specification. For one, the use of one single opening in a packaging does not allow the rate at which the moisture to escape to be controlled in any way, unlike the present invention.

In certain embodiments, the structural strength and durability of the upper panel may be improved still further by reinforcing the upper panel with stronger materials, by using a panel that is thicker, or even by using an upper panel that is multi-layered in any number of material combinations.

In one embodiment, the structural strength of the upper panel may be further improved by having a greater number of perforations per square inch near the center of the upper panel while having a limited number of perforations near the edges of the upper panel, as shown in FIG. 5. In this fashion, the areas that are most likely to be subject to structural stress, such as those from tearing or ripping during transportation and handling of the packaging—the edges of the packaging—are materially enforced. At the same time, the areas of the upper panel that are less likely to be subject to structural stress—the areas towards the center of the upper panel—are designed to allow moisture to escape. Another manner to achieve this same effect is to have perforations that are greater in size near the center of the packaging with smaller perforations near the edges of the upper panel, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Through either of these methods, a balance may be stricken between the strength and the utility of the packaging.

In another embodiment, the size of the perforations in the upper panel differs by having at least two differently sized perforations that are varied in a controlled manner in the upper panel. In one example, seen in FIG. 7A, a large perforation may be surrounded by smaller perforations (i.e., hybrid pattern). Thus, as seen by FIG. 7A, the large perforations, such as 704, are always surrounded by four smaller perforations, such as 708, 712, 716, and 720. By its nature, this pattern of perforation allows for more moisture to escape than a pattern of a plurality of perforations comprising only the small perforations 708, 712, 716, and 720 in FIG. 7A. Furthermore, by weaving the upper panel with a grid-like pattern of small perforations and large perforations, the structurally weak-in-strength areas created by the large perforation are counteracted by the materials that surround the smaller perforations. Because the large perforation is surrounded by smaller perforations, there remains, in turn, more material that surrounds the large perforation than if the large perforation is surrounded by equally large perforations. As a result, this pattern is structurally stronger than a pattern comprising of all large perforations.

In addition, the benefits achieved from having all large perforations over the hybrid pattern having a combination of large and small perforations may be marginal in certain instances. Specifically, while the pattern made up of an entirely larger perforation allows for a greater amount of moisture to escape, the amount of moisture that may escape in a hybrid pattern of perforations is not correspondingly less by the differences in the total area of perforations. In other words, the amount of moisture that may escape in the pattern of perforations illustrated in FIG. 7A, when compared to the amount of moisture that escapes in a perforation pattern containing all large perforations 704, is not proportionally less than the proportion of the total surface area of openings between the two types of patterns. This is due to the nature of moisture that actually egresses the packaging in real world practice. For certain types of food products, the actual rate at which the moisture from the food products escapes the packaging is not limited by the perforations. Indeed, in some instances, the amount of moisture that may escape from the packaging during cooking reaches an eventual limit as the total area of perforations is increased. FIG. 7B illustrates the amount of moisture that escapes against the total area of perforation in a packaging; a logarithmic-like pattern results. Importantly, it demonstrates that in certain instances, there exists a decreasing benefit with each increase in total area of perforation. Once the total area of perforations reaches a certain level, the benefit from increasing the total area of perforations further becomes marginal. Thus, based on the food product and the desired results, the ideal size, shape, location and number of perforations may be predicted and/or calculated. This determination of the ideal packaging for a particular food product may be further improved by executing modeling computations, using the food product, the amount of moisture, the cooking temperature, and other variables and information as input.

Another way in which the exiting of moisture may be improved is by having a plurality of distinct groupings of perforations that are positioned in predetermined positions on the upper panel. For example, in one embodiment, groupings of perforations—which may contain a number of differently sized perforations—are placed on opposite portions of the upper panel. As seen in FIG. 8A, a grouping may be placed near each corner of the upper panel. As seen in FIG. 8B, using this type of pattern may allow the air to flow in the manner shown by the arrow. The moisture thus flows upward from the food product and travels towards either end of the packaging. When this occurs, at least a small amount of moisture may be absorbed by the food as the moisture travels along the path shown. This may be advantageous to keep at least some moisture within the final food product. In certain instances, the portions of the cooked food product that are directly below the groupings of perforations may have less moisture and therefore may be crispier, for instance. At the same time, using groupings rather than placing perforations over the entire area of the upper panel allows the packaging to have greater structural strength.

In yet another embodiment, the various perforations on the upper panel may be positioned and sized to make up a design. The design may illustrate a company logo, the food product that is contained therein, an identification of the person to receive the food product, information related to the cooking of the product, or other information that may be of interest. The perforations may further be used in conjunction with graphics that are printed on the upper panel to create clever designs.

Assembly

The packaging may be assembled by any number of methods. In one manner, a plurality of packaging may be assembled in bulk through a very efficient manufacturing process. In this process, the upper and lower panels are assembled from rolls of packaging materials, each of which may be a separate material making up the panels. Each roll of materials may be rolled out and cut in a predetermined fashion according to the packaging designs that have been specifically customized for a particular food product. The layers may be coupled together in manners well known in the art so as to create a uniform panel, such as by lamination, glue or tape. This coupling process may take place before or after the cutting of the rolls into predetermined forms. At one point in the manufacturing process, the perforations must be applied to the material making up the upper panel. The panels and/or layers may also be treated with any number of chemicals or printed with logos, designs, and other information as desired.

In one embodiment, the upper and lower panels are assembled from one single uniform sheet of material 900 that has been cut, such as the sheet illustrated in FIG. 9. The single uniform sheet of material of FIG. 9 is cut out from the roll of material and has an area that corresponds to the upper panel 904 and lower panel 908 once assembled. Note that the lower panel is made up of two areas 908 in the uniform sheet 900. To assemble the package, the single panel 900 is folded along edges 908 and 912, and coupled along edge 920 and area 924. The area 924 may be a form of glue, tape or other forms of adhesives known in the art, to bind the two areas that make up the lower panel. In other embodiments, such as those that contain a lower panel and an upper panel made up of differing materials, the upper panel and the lower panel are cut separately, from the separate sheets of materials. In these designs, the panels are coupled on all edges except for one, thereby allowing a manner of access to the food compartment created, as shown in FIG. 2B and others FIGs. It should be readily understood that the manner in which the upper and lower panels are coupled may differ depending on the shape and size of the panels.

In another embodiment, a similar uniform sheet is used as the sheet 900 shown in FIG. 9 in assembling the packaging. However, in this embodiment, the sheet may be folded at several additional edges, thereby creating a packaging similar to the packaging shown in FIGS. 3, 8B, and other figures. This embodiment may be made up of panels consisting of stiffer and stronger materials such as cardboard, thereby offering a packaging that is stronger and more durable. In another embodiment, the packaging shown in FIGS. 3, 8B and others, may be assembled by coupling a plurality of panels.

Referring now to FIG. 10, as part of the assembly process, the food products are inserted into the food compartment 1012 after the upper panel 1004 and lower panel 1008 are coupled along edges 1016, 1020, and 1024, of both panels. This may be done by the same or a different manufacturer that assembled the packaging up to that point. Once the food product(s) are placed into the food compartment 1012, the upper and lower panels 1004 and 1008, are coupled along opening edge 1028. As seen, unlike the coupling at edges 1016, 1020, and 1024, this coupling does not take place at or near the edge of the panels. Rather, the panels are coupled at a predetermined distance from the upper edge of the panels so as to create opening flaps 1010. In other embodiments, no such opening flaps 1010 are contained within the design.

Where multiple layers of materials are used for each panel, it is not necessarily required that layers are coupled together. Rather, in one embodiment, the individual layers may be cut in the determined shape and size and coupled together in a similar manner along all of its edges except for one, similar to the coupling process of packaging 1000. As shown in FIG. 11, this assembly process starts with the inner-most layer. First, the upper and lower panel making up the inner-most layer 1104 of the packaging are coupled, leaving one side of the coupled panels uncoupled for insertion of the food product 1102 into its resulting compartment 1106. The food product 1102 may be inserted into this compartment 1106 prior to the inner layer's insertion into the outer layer's compartment. The next outer layer 1108, which may be slightly larger than the already-assembled coupled layer, may then be assembled in similar fashion through the coupling of the edges of its upper and lower panels so as to create a compartment 1110. Contained wholly within this compartment may be already-assembled innermost layer containing the food product. This process continues with any number of panels as desired. The final step in the assembly process is completed by sealing off each layer in the packaging, starting with the inner-most layer.

Both the inner layer 1104 and the outer layer 1108 may have any number of perforations, although the pattern, size or number of perforations need not be the same between the layers. Note that in FIG. 11, the perforations on the panel have been intentionally omitted for clarity of the figure. By assembling the packaging in this manner, additional control over the cooking of the food products may be gained. The use of multiple layers, each comprising a plurality of perforations creates a chimney effect within the packaging during the cooking process. The escape of steam through a narrow space between two layers can cause a reduction in pressure. Due to the Bernoulli Effect, the differing pressure between the areas within the food compartment to that outside of the packaging may cause additional flow of steam to escape from the bag through the perforations, thereby improving performance.

Presentation to the Consumers

The presently disclosed invention may further allow for the packaging to stand up when the packaging is presented to the consumer for consumption, thereby allowing for easy access to the food products. This feature would allow the consumer to minimize his or her contact with the packaging itself, which may still be warm or hot from the oven's heat or may be greasy from residual oil from the food products.

This standing feature may be achieved by the use of a standing panel 1204, as shown in FIG. 12. The standing panel 1204 is coupled to the bottom edges of the upper and lower panel as shown in the FIG. Thus, in use, the packaging may be placed on the eating surface of the consumer upon the standing panel 1204. The flat nature of the standing panel allows the packaging to be stood upright, making it difficult to topple the packaging over, even against inadvertent force. During initial assembly, transporting and cooking, this standing panel 1204 may be folded horizontally along the folding edge 1208 in order to maintain the compact size of the packaging. When the packaging is ready to be delivered to the consumer, the standing panel 1204 may be unfolded as to create a flat surface that may be used to stand the packaging upright.

The packaging may also be held upright by use of flaps similar to that of the opening flaps previously described. Rather than being at the top of the upper and lower panels, standing flaps 1304 are positioned at the bottom of the upper and lower panels as shown in the FIG. They may be created in similar manners as the opening flaps (i.e., by coupling of the upper and lower panels along a horizontal line that is a predetermined distance offset of the bottom edges of the lower and upper panel). It should be noted that for the standing flap 1304 to operate properly, the upper and lower panels must consist of least one or a combination of layers of materials that together is sufficiently strong to withstand the weight of the packaging containing the food product. During transport and cooking, the standing flaps 1304 may be held in a folded position. When the packaging is ready to be presented and placed on the eating surface, the flaps may be unfolded and positioned outward as to create legs that are capable of supporting the packaging, as shown in FIG. 13.

Additional materials may be placed directly within the food compartment of the packaging to further improve the manner in which the food products may be delivered and presented to the consumer after the cooking process. For example, in certain packaging, a paper plate may be placed between the lower panel and the food product. The food product, therefore, is placed on the plate during assembly and remains there during transporting, handling and even cooking. When the packaging is delivered to the consumer, he or she need only open the packaging and pull out the plate. Thus, this feature has several benefits including saving costs, time and waste.

Covered Perforations

The packaging may further contain mechanisms in which the perforations may be covered during transport or delivery of the packaging to the consumer in order to reduce the possible contamination of the food products with germs or other foreign matter. Further, this mechanism may prevent oil or grease from dripping from the packaging after the food product has been cooked and the packaging is presented to the consumer.

One such mechanism is shown in FIG. 14, which illustrates a cover flap 1400 attached to the upper panel along cover flap attachment point 1404 and at locking mechanism 1408. During the assembly and transporting phase, the cover flap 1400 remains coupled at the attachment point 1404, thereby causing all of the perforations 1400 of the upper panel 1401 to be covered. When it is time to cook the packaging, the cover flap 1400 may be uncoupled from the locking mechanism to uncover the perforations 1402. After cooking, the perforations 1402 may be covered once again by reattaching cover flap 1400 to the locking mechanism 1408. The locking mechanism couples the cover flap 1400 to the upper panel 1401 by means of glue, tape or other mechanisms well known in the art. Similar solutions may be used, including the use of a cover that is removable by tearing or cutting.

Another manner in which the perforations may be covered during transport is by means of a film that covers the perforations and that may be automatically removed when sufficient heat is applied to the film. Thus, the packaging may be placed in the oven even with the perforations covered by this film. When the film reaches a certain temperature, the film would automatically evaporate, which opens up the plurality of perforations and allows moisture to escape in the manner previously described. In one embodiment, this film is made up of any number of sugar-based composite materials that safely and automatically evaporate when a high temperature is applied. It would necessarily not be harmful or affect the taste of the food products.

Multiple Compartment Packaging

The presently disclosed invention may be customized in any number of manners so as to maximize the quality of the produced cooked food, and the strength and durability of the packaging. Additionally, the packaging may further be customized to minimize the costs associated with the production and delivery of the food products, the weight of the packaging or even the time at which it takes to cook the food products.

The packaging may have the capability to transport, cook and deliver to consumers multiple types of food products at the same time. This may be achieved by having multiple distinct food compartments in one packaging. The packaging may be assembled such that the number of layers, the number of perforations, the type of material, and the size of a food compartment may vary from one compartment to another. The use of differently customized compartments with differing attributes is essential in the cooking process, as food products often require different temperature and duration of cooking. Thus, two differing food products may be cooked to a preferred consistency and quality in the same packaging.

For example, in order to provide a high-quality product, some products cannot be cooked in a compartment with perforations at all. Since the use of perforations causes moisture to escape from the food compartment and the food product, this may cause some food products to be drier than desired. Thus, for food products such as cheeseburgers—which require the moisture to be maintained therein in order for the product's meat patty to stay juicy—the product cannot be placed in a food compartment containing perforations. Therefore, in certain embodiments of the present invention, one food compartment may not contain any perforations while an adjacent compartment may contain a plurality of perforations as described above. The former compartment may be used to store, cook and deliver a cheeseburger to the consumer while the latter compartment may be used to store, cook and deliver fried onion rings to the consumer at the same time.

In another embodiment, fried fish may be placed in a compartment with multiple layers of film perforated at 30 perforations per square inch while, in the next compartment, french fries may be placed in a compartment that contains 90 perforations per square inch. This may be necessary as fried fish tends to cook at a faster rate than the french fries and may require that some of the moisture be kept intact. Therefore, in placing a packaging that contains both the fried fish and the french fries in the oven and cooking the entire packaging for the same amount of time and at the same temperature, the differing compartments ensure that when the packaging is taken out of the oven, the resulting food products are both completely cooked and are of the highest quality.

The compartments, themselves, may also be layered on top of one another when placed in the oven. A layer of material such as PET film may be placed between the compartments. Further, this layer of PET film may further comprise a plurality of perforations. During cooking, the moisture contained in the food product in the lower compartment may then rise and enter the upper compartment, causing the food product in the upper compartment to absorb the moisture and cook the food product a faster rate. This vertical formation of compartments may be used with many different combinations of food products including the cooking of poultry in combination with vegetables in the upper compartment. Further, the compartments are not limited to holding food products. For instance, a liquid such as water may be stored in a lower compartment while a portion of fish may be stored in the upper compartment. The compartments may be separated by a film or material containing perforations. During the cooking process, the heat applied to the water in the lower panel causes steam to rise to the upper compartment, thereby cooking the fish in a poaching process. It may also be preferable to insulate the upper compartment with additional material so as to ensure that the fish is cooked only by the steam, rather than from the heat in the upper compartment.

Other combinations of food that may be cooked together may include, but are not limited to, Panini's, toasted sandwiches, burgers in buns, breakfast muffins, toast, toasted teacakes, battered chicken, bread crumbed fish, and others.

Through the novel use of perforations only on one side of a unique food packaging, a food product may be easily transported, properly cooked in an oven, and provided to the consumer with minimal effort and cost. The use of the packaging further satisfies the demands of the consumer by providing a food product that may be cooked quickly but also be of higher quality. Specifically, by the use the food packaging in an environment such as an airplane, a train, sports arena or others, unique food products that have traditionally been reserved for restaurants may be properly cooked and provided to the consumer in a high quality manner in these unique environments.

The various embodiments and features of the presently disclosed invention may be used in any combination as the combination of these embodiments and features are well within the scope of the invention. While the foregoing description includes many details and specificities, it is to be understood that these have been included for purposes of explanation only, and are not to be interpreted as limitations of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications to the embodiments described above can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, such modifications are considered within the scope of the invention as intended to be encompassed by the following claims and their legal equivalent.

Claims

1. An improved food packaging for cooking at least one food product, the food packaging comprising:

a lower panel not containing any perforations; and

an upper panel containing a plurality of perforations, the upper panel and lower panel coupled to define at least one food compartment to store the at least one food product;

wherein the plurality of perforations allows for cooking of the at least one food product in an oven, the food packaging being placed in the oven with the lower panel facing downward.

2. The food packaging of claim 1, wherein the oven is an airplane oven.

3. The food packaging of claim 1, wherein the upper panel and lower panel each comprises a plurality of layers, wherein at least one layer of the plurality of layer is a layer of film material.

4. The food packaging of claim 3, wherein the plurality of layers includes a layer of greaseproof material.

5. The food packaging of claim 4, wherein the plurality of layer of film further includes a layer of paper material.

6. The food packaging of claim 1, wherein the plurality of perforations contains at least 40 perforations per square inch.

7. The food packaging of claim 1, wherein the at least one food product is a portion of potatoes, and wherein the food packaging, when cooked in an oven, causes the potatoes to have a crispy consistency.

8. The food packaging of claim 1, further comprising a standing panel coupled to the upper panel and the lower panel, wherein the standing panel allows the food packaging to be held upright when the food packaging is delivered to the consumer.

9. The food packaging of claim 1, comprising a plurality of food compartments.

10. The food packaging of claim 9, wherein the shape or position of each of the plurality of food compartments is customized for a specific type of food product.

11. An improved process of food packaging and cooking at least one food product, the method comprising:

receiving the at least one food product in a food packaging, the food packaging including a lower panel not containing any perforations and an upper panel containing a plurality of perforations, the upper panel and lower panel coupled to define at least one food compartment to store the at least one food product;

placing the food packaging in the oven with the lower panel facing downward;

cooking the at least one food product in the oven after the placing step;

delivering the at least one food product to the at least one consumer.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the at least one food product is delivered to the at least one consumer in the food packaging.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein the food packaging further comprises a standing panel coupled to the upper panel and the lower panel, the method further comprising the step of placing the food packaging upon the standing panel, thereby allowing the food packaging to be placed in an upright position.

14. The process of claim 11, wherein the oven is an airplane oven.

15. The process of claim 11, wherein the at least one food product is potatoes, and wherein the food packaging, when cooked in an oven, causes the potatoes to have a crispy consistency.

16. The process of claim 11, wherein the upper panel and lower panel each comprises a plurality of layers and at least one layer of the plurality of layers is a layer of film material.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the plurality of layers includes a layer of greaseproof material.

18. The process of claim 16, wherein the plurality of layers includes a layer of paper material.

19. The process of claim 11, wherein the food packaging includes a plurality of food compartments.

20. The process of claim 11, wherein the shape or position of each of the plurality of food compartments in the food compartment is customized for a specific type of food product.