US2741559A - Packaged article of food and method of making the same - Google Patents

Description

April 10 1956 B. B. BANown-z PACKAGED ARTICLE OF FOOD AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. ll 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l WIN A Il INVENTOR. eyamnfnaw@ April l0, 1956 B. B. BANowl-rz 2,741,559

PACKAGED ARTICLE OF' FOOD AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 1l, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,Dwi/@ ,Ml

United States Patent i* PACKAGED ARTICLE F FOOD AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Benjamin B. Banowitz, Chicago, Ill., assignor to TV Time Foods, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application August 11, 1951, Serial No. 241,427

2 Claims. (Cl. 99p- 171) This invention relates to a novel packaged article of food and its method of manufacture. More particularly, the invention concerns a novel combined package containing the ingredients necessary in the preparation of popcorn.

Raw popcorn for home use is commonly sold in boxes or cans and the consumer may purchase separately a suitable popping or cooking oil if it is desired to utilize oil in cooking the popcorn. More recently there have been made available on the market various types of combination articles consisting of a quantity of raw popcorn and a small bottle of liquid popping oil both packaged or enclosed in a common outer container or otherwise associated as a single sales unit. In every case, however, the popping oil has been in liquid form requiring a suitable glass bottle or equivalent iiuid container.

The inclusion of glass bottles in such combined oil and raw popcorn packages has serious commercial disadvantages because of the hazards of breakage during handling of the goods, both in the grocery store and in the home. In addition, the necessity of including a glass bottle or the like in the combined packaged places definite limitations on the size and shape of the complete combined package. Furthermore, the packaging cost is greatly increased because of the necessity of providing separate containers for the raw popcorn and the popping oil and also a suitable outer container or enclosure for the combined unit.

Accordingly, it is one of the objects of my invention to provide a novel and advantageous packaged article of the character described which is non-fragile, has a convenient size and shape, and is simple and economical in construction.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a novel combined package of raw popcorn and popping oil which obviates the disadvantages heretofore associated with combined packages including separate containers of liquid oil.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel combined package containing separated quantities of raw popcorn and solidified popping oil.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel method for the manufacture of a packaged article of the type described.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident from the subsequent detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings whereint' Fig. `1 is a front elevational view of a combination packaged article comprising one specic embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the package shown in Fig- 1;A

Fig.' 3 'is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view 'taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

" Fig. `5 is a perspective view showing one of the initial 2,741,559 Patented Apr. 10, 1956 fce 2 steps in the production of the packaged article shown in Figs. 1-4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing one of the apparatus elements used in the production of the packaged article;

Fig. 7 is a schematic elevational view showing a subsequent stage in the process;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 5 and showing a still later step in the process; and

Fig. 9 is a schematic view similar to Fig. 7 and showing a final step in the production method.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, I have shown therein a novel combined package or composite article constituting, by way of illustration, one specific embodiment of my invention. The article comprises a container in the form of a flexible and preferably transparent bag indicated generally at 10. I have found that a flexible synthetic plastic material such as polyethylene, Saran or other heat scalable sheet material is particularly satisfactory for fabrication of the bag 10.

The bag is generally rectangular in contour, as seen in the front elevational view of Fig. l, and is closed or heat sealed at its lower end 11. The bag 10 is also formed with a central constriction or partition 12 which extends longitudinally of the bag whereby to divide the latter into two separate compartments indicated at 13 and 14 (Fig. 4). The partition or dividing constriction 12 may be conveniently formed by heat sealing or otherwise adhering the front and rear walls of the bag 10 along a narrow longitudinal line. This construction will be best understood from the cross-sectional view in Fig. 4 wherein the front and rear walls, indicated at 16 and 17, are shown in sealed relation at 12.

The upper end of the bag 10 is also closed after the bag has been filled by heat sealing the top edges of the bag along a transverse strip or band as indicated at 18. A suitable paper flap 19 is also secured to the top of the bag in the same heat sealing operation. The front portion of the fiap 19 may extend downwardly, as at 21, a sufficient distance to provide a suitable space for advertising and other printed matter identifying the contents of the bag.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the lefthand compartment 13 is smaller in width than the compartment 14 and is filled with a predetermined supply of popping or cooking oil 22. The larger right-hand com partment 14 contains a predetermined quantity of raw popping corn 23 which may have distributed thereon an appropriate quantity of salt or other seasoning. By reason of the difference in width of the compartments 13 and 14, the quantities or volumes of popping oil 22 and popcorn 23 contained therein are proportioned so that each package or bag 10 contains the correct quantities of raw popcorn and popping oil for preparing a single batch of popcorn. The extent to which the compartments 13 and 14 are filled may vary as required. Thus, as shown in Fig. l, the popcorn compartment 14 is substantially completely filled whereas the oil compartment 13 is not quite filled.

One of the advantageous features of my combined package resides in the substantially uniformthickness of the package in spite of the fact that different volumes of oil and raw popcorn are contained in the package. By making the compartments 13 and 14 of predetermined different widths and by filling the respective compart ments to predetermined different extents, I am able to provide correctly proportioned quantities of oil and popcorn while both compartments of the bag have substantially the same thickness, as particularly seen in Fig. 4. It will be understood that bags of uniform' thickness can be readily and economically stacked on agrocers shelf whereas bags or packageshaving portions of unequal thickness 'wold ediiire barefiil and special stacking arrangements.

When the material comprising the flexible bag 10 is suitably oil resistant, the poppingoil may be vpackaged in the Lto'rripar'tn're'nt -l3 in normally liq'u'id form. However, it is apreferred featureof my invention to utilize a'pop'pi'ng oil which has "a solid orisemi-solid consistency at normal 'room temperatures. Hydro'ge'na'ted vegetable oils having relatively high solidification points are particularly 'useful for 'this purpose. `-Forv example, coconut `oil or other oils extracted from imported 'nuts may be hydrogena'ted and processed hto yield a product having'the following consistency atthe 'indicated "temperature:

In the packageillustrated inthe drawings, the Ioil 22 isshown in solidifiedw formsothat the entire package is filled with solid ingredients. When sucha solidified poppingoil is utilized, it is notas essential that the material comprising' the bag .10 Ybe* highly resistant to liquid oil over extended periods of time, although it is, of course, preferable.

From Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings showing the article in Aa plane through the thickness of the bag, it will be seen that the oilcompartment 13 lof the bag 10 when filled with solidified oil has a longitudinal vtaperedrcon-` formation extending from a'sharply tapered point 24 at the lower end of t-hey bag through a gradually tapered central portion l26 to the mouth portion, indicated at 27, of greatestrwidth. Similarly, as seen in Fig. l in a plane extending through `the width of `the bag, the partition 12 is disposed at a slight slope or angle relative to the bottom of the bag so that the partition Islants outwardly from the bottom to the top of the bag.. Thus, the compartment y13 is slightly wider at the topy than at'the bottom, as viewed inl-iig. l. It will be understood that the slope of the partition 12 has been exaggerated vslightly in Fig. l for the sake of clarity. As a result of this tapering or outwardly enlarging shape of the compartment 13 from the bottom to the top ofthe bag' in two different planes, the removal of the solidified oil 22 is greatly simplified. In general, after opening the sealed mouth of the bag, it is only necessary to grasp the compartment 13 in the hands for a brief time and the body heat will softenl the outer surface of the solidified quanity'of oil sufficiently so that a slightA squeezing actionat theA tapered bottom end of the c'c` mpar`tmentv will result-in extrusion or ejection ofthev elongated mass of solid oil `from the open mouth of the bag. The preformed tapered shapeof the compartment 13 and ythe solidified oil 22V therein 'facilitates the squeezing and ejection action. 4

From the foregoing explanation, the manner of use of packaged popcorn article will be readily understood. The mouth Vof the ybag at the oil side is opened first. Then 'the solidified oil is softened and ejected 'as'described above with the oil being depositedyin a pan or other suitable cooking receptacle. Thereafter the oil isv melted, the'other side of the bagis opened, and the preseasoned rawI popcorn is introdicedint the molten oil and cooked in the usual manner.

Referring now to Figs. -9, the preferred process or method of `preparing the composite package will now be described. A supply of eip'tybag's 10 isprovided each being open atene 'ena and 'sealed at itsiovvr end 511 as hereinbefo'r'e described. An operator iills the oil compartment 13 ofleach bag 10, as seen in Fig. 5, by introducin'g theloil in heated liquid form from a valvecontrolled discharge/ 1 nozzlet) ofasupply vesselv 31. As bag y is filled with liquid'oil it is placed in a rack or holder indieatedjgenerally by the reference numeral SZandbestSeenin Fig'. `6. l Y d d.

The holder 32 comprises anelongated dat base'33 having a channel v.member 34 with short upright sides 36 rigidly secured thereon. A plurality of upstanding ele- 'rnenfs 37 are lmounted 'side lby side along the base 33, each element 37 being formed from a single continuous strip of sheet metal or the like and being bent to the general shape of an inverted U or V. The sides or legs of the elements 37 taper outwardly 'from each other and the lower ends thereof are flared more sharply, as at 38. The upright edges l36 of the channel 3ft are suitably notched to receive` the ends `of `the legs'of lthe elements 37 which are rigidly secured as by welding or soldering in the notched portions. Thus, the adjacent outer wil'ls of -each 4element 37 denne a forfn or :mold having the exact tapered con-formationl which itis desired toimpart to the oil compartments 13 of the bags 10. As seen in Fig. 6, the bag 1'0 having lits compartment 13 filled with liquid oil is placed in the holder 32 with the compartment 13 being received in the mold space defined between an adjacent pair of elements 37. The lowermost extremities, indicated at 39, of the sides of the elements '37 are substantially straight andare slightly spaced from each other to receive the thin zflat sealed lliferye'nd '1 1 of bag 10 when the bag is in lplace in the holder. In tion, a plurality of upright U-shaped auxiliary l* or guides 41 of lesser height than the elements 37 are disposed on the base 33, each support 41 being 'alihe'd with the mold space between `adjacent pairs of elements 37 for receiving and holding the compartment l14 at the opposite side "ofcaeh bag 1'0.

A plurality of the racks or holders 32 are mon'tediild parallel transverse relation on ari elongated conveyor'42 (Fig. 7)y which lis operated to nive `slowly througha cooling zone or tunnel 43. As the operator fills ea'ehba'g 10 with liquid oil it is placed in va mold space of h der 32 and thefentire holder is then filled as conveyor moves slowly toward the 'tunnel 43. The holders 32..,Ir'iay be 'constructed -to contain any desired number of bags, eight mold spaces being shown `in Fig. `6 by way o eitample. 'Cool air is circulated through the 'tunnel '4 3 by means notlshown and the liquid oil contained in the bags 1i) is solidified and hardened during passage throgh the tnnel 43. l v

Upon emergence of the holders 32 fr'or'nthe tonnel' 213, the operator removes eac'h bag in turn, fills the empty compartment 14 with raw popcorn from a hopper (as seen in Fig. s) and returns the completen nll'd bg containingthe raw popcorn and the solidified to its position4 in th'erlol'der 32. Thence the con eyo, 42 carries the holders 32 containing 'the filled bags to a heat sealing station, vas'indicated schematically inl-iig. 9, where the open top of eaoh bag I0 is sealed at 18 ei i ally 4or automatically by a heat sealing in 'ee andthe paper flap 19 is `affixed to the bag.y Subsequently, an operator removes the completed packages from the holc'lers.'v j

It will thus be seen that my method permits the oil to be introduced into the bags in liquid form and diete# after solidified in a mold 'to impart the desired tapered shape to the elongated body of solidified oil. Also, the fiat sides of the mold cause the sides of the bagy conL taining thesoldified oil to be smooth and for ready stacking. Consequently, the completed `package is yreadily stackable and-the solidified mass of oil is easilyremoved by reason of the tapered conformation of the package.

Although the invention has been described in vcorrnection with certain specific embodiments, it will b e understood that `various modifications and alternatvesjnay be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims;

Iclairn: A

vl.y Ampackagcd article comprising an elongatedbag of iie'xible sheet material closed atits oppositegendsyfjan angularly disposed partitionextending lengthwise of the bag and generally diagonally at a slight angle relative to the opposite longitudinal sides of the bag whereby to define a pair of separate longitudinal compartments in side-by-side relation with each compartment having a relatively narrow end and a relatively enlarged end, a predetermined quantity of extrudable solidified edible popping oil in one of said compartments, and a prededermined quantity of raw popping corn in the other of said compartments, the solidified oil at the narrow end of said one compartment having a generally tapered shape in a plane through the thickness of the bag and said partition providing said one compartment and the solidified oil contained therein with a generally tapered conformation in a plane across the Width of the bag whereby upon application of squeezing pressure at the narrow end of said one compartment the solidified oil may readily be extruded as a unitary mass through the enlarged end of said one compartment when the bag is opened at said enlarged end.

2. The method of making a combined package of popcorn and popping oil having an elongated flexible bag with a pair of separate longitudinal compartments divided by an angularly disposed partition extending lengthwise of the bag and generally diagonally at a slight angle relative to the opposite longitudinal sides of the bag so that each compartment has a relatively narrow end and a relatively enlarged end, said method comprising the steps of introducing a preheated liquid edible popping oil into one of the compartments of the bag while the latter is open at one end thereof, supporting the bag in upright position and conlining the llexible sides thereof around said one compartment to a predetermined generally tapered shape in a plane through the thickness of the bag, cooling the bag and the oil while so confined whereby to effect solidication of the oil in said tapered shape, introducing7 raw popcorn into the other of said compartments, and sealing `the open endof the bag and thereby closing both of said compartments, the tapered shape of the resultant solidified oil and the provision of the an gularly disposed partition between the two compartments of the bag serving to facilitate extrusion of the solidified oil from said one compartment upon application of squeezing pressure at the narrow end of said one compartment when the enlarged end thereof is opened.

References Cited in the file of `this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,889,882 Woods Dec. 6, 1932 1,983,685 Townsley Dec. 11, 1934 2,027,390` Lazier Jan. 14, 1936 2,096,825 Roman Oct. 26, 1937 2,196,404 Tolley Apr. 9, 1940 2,245,738 Taylor June 17, 1941 2,385,531 Osterhof Sept. 25, 1945 2,424,536 Mayer et al July 22, 1947 2,469,521 Rohdin May 10, 1949 2,480,679 Spencer Aug. 30, 1949 2,518,257 Nairn Aug. 8, 1950

Claims (1)

1. A PACKAGE ARTICLE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BAG OF FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL CLOSED AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS, AN ANGULARLY DISPOSED PARTITION EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE BAG AND GENERALLY DIAGONALLY AT A SLIGHT ANGLE RELATIVE TO THE OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL SIDES OF THE BAG WHEREBY TO DEFINE A PAIR OF SEPARATE LONGITUDINAL COMPARTMENTS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION WITH EACH COMPARTMENT HAVING A RELATIVELY NARROW END AND A RELATIVELY ENLARGED END, A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF EXTRUDABLE SOLIDIFIED EDIBLE POPPING OIL IN ONE OF SAID COMPARTMENTS, AND A PREDEDERMINED QUANTITY OF RAW POPPING CORN IN THE OTHER OF SAID COMPARTMENTS, THE SOLIDIFIED OIL AT THE NARROW END OF SAID ONE COMPARTMENT HAVING A GENERALLY TAPERED SHAPE IN A PLANE THROUGH THE THICKNESS OF THE BAG AND SAID PARTITION PROVIDING SAID ONE COMPARTMENT AND THE SOLIDIFIED OIL CONTAINED THEREIN WITH A GENERALLY TAPERED CONFORMATION IN A PLANE ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE GAG WHEREBY UPON APPLICATION OF SQUEEZING PRESSURE AT THE NARROW END OF SAID ONE COMPARTMENT THE SOLIDIFIED OIL MAY READILY BE EXTRUDED AS A UNITARY MASS THROUGH THE ENLARGED END OF SAID ONE COMPARTMENT WHEN THE BAG IS OPENED AT SAID ENLARGED END.

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