Patent Application
20120141640
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to packaging for baking and displaying baked food products. More particularly, the invention concerns a novel package that can be used to bake and then to display the baked loaves of bread.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
It is a common practice for large food markets to buy partially baked loaves of bread from commercial bakeries and then, using suitable ovens or microwaves, fully bake the bread at the store. After the bread has been baked it is suitably packaged and then displayed for sale on the store shelves as “freshly baked bread”. The process of removing the partially baked loaves of bread from their shipping container, placing the loaves into and removing them from the oven and then placing the hot loaves of bread into a package, is both cumbersome and time consuming. Further, the handling of the very hot loaves of bread after they are removed from the oven can be quite hazardous. Additionally, the packaging into which the baked loaves of bread are placed, which typically comprises tube-like containers formed from parchment paper, fails to adequately preserve the freshness of the bread. It is these drawbacks that the novel packaging apparatus of the present invention and the method of its use, seek to overcome.
One prior art oven-able bag of simple construction and the method of making the bag is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,786 issued to Nagler. The Nagler patent discloses a method of forming an oven-able bag, comprising the steps of providing an inner layer of parchment-like paper having a plurality of small holes therein; providing an outer layer of parchment-like paper material having no holes therein; forming a substantially rectangular sheet of paper-like material made from the inner and outer layers superposed on each other so as to permit escape of heated gases during a baking operation through the small holes and from between said inner and outer layers; securing opposite lengthwise edges of said substantially rectangular sheet together to form a tubular member open at opposite ends thereof; folding the tubular member over itself at one end thereof along a transverse fold line; adhering a portion of the wall section that has been folded along said transverse fold line to itself to provide a liquid seal at the folded end of the tubular member.
By way of brief summary, one form of the combination bread baking and packaging apparatus of the present invention comprises an outer sheet of baking paper capable of withstanding a temperature sufficient to bake bread, the outer sheet having an inner surface; an inner oven-able and heat sealable polyester sheet adhesively bonded to and coextensive with the inner surface of the outer sheet to form a composite sheet having opposite edges, the opposite edges being interconnected to form an elongated tubular member having a first end portion that is folded upon itself and sealed to form a precursor apparatus having a bread receiving chamber having an open end. Following the insertion of a partially baked loaf of bread into the bread receiving chamber, the open end of the bread receiving chamber is folded upon itself and during the baking of the partially baked loaf of bread, is automatically sealed.
With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatically sealable food package that can be used to bake partially baked loaves of bread at the point of sale and then to attractively display the baked bread on the store shelves.
Another object of the invention is to provide an automatically sealable food package of the aforementioned character in which the composite sheet is provided with a multiplicity of perforations.
Another object of the invention is provide an automatically sealable food package of the character described that maintains the freshness of the baked bread for a substantial length of time
Another object of the invention is provide an automatically sealable food package of the character described in the preceding paragraphs in which the outer sheet of baking paper is provided with a viewing opening.
Another object of the invention is provide an automatically sealable food package of the character described that is attractive in appearance, is inexpensive to manufacture and is easy to use.
The foregoing objectives as well as other features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings and particularly to
The apparatus of the invention also here comprises an inner oven-able and heat sealable polyester sheet 18 that is adhesively bonded to and coextensive with the inner surface 16a of outer sheet 16 (
As illustrated in
An important aspect of the apparatus of the invention resides in the fact that the composite sheet 20 is provided with a multiplicity of spaced apart through perforations 30 that allow the bread receiving chamber 26 to breathe. Another important aspect of the apparatus concerns the provision in the outer sheet 16 of a generally oval-shaped viewing opening, or window 32 that allows the customer to view the bread that is disposed within the sealed package. The novel manner in which the package of the invention is sealed will presently be described. Still another important feature of the apparatus of the invention resides in the provision of a plurality of transversely spaced apart, lengthwise fold lines 36, the purpose of which will presently be described (see
One form of the method of making the novel combination bread baking and packaging apparatus of the invention will now be described. This novel method comprises the steps of providing an inner layer of oven-able and heat sealable polyester sheet 18, providing an outer layer of paper-like material 16 having a viewing opening, and then bonding together the inner and outer layers to form a substantially rectangular composite sheet 20 having opposing lengthwise edges 20a and 20b and a plurality of transversely spaced apart lengthwise fold lines 36. Following the construction of the composite sheet 20, a multiplicity of perforations are formed through the composite sheet. This done, the opposing lengthwise edges of the composite sheet are suitably bonded together to form a tubular member 22 having first and second open ends.
The next step in the construction of the packaging apparatus is to fold the tubular member inwardly along the lengthwise fold lines 36 to form a generally flattened tubular member having first and second open ends. This done, the flattened tubular member is folded over on itself proximate its first open end to form a flattened tubular member having a folded end portion 22a, the general configuration of which is shown in
One form of the method of the invention for using the ready for use apparatus shown in
Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.
