Multi-purpose food preparation kit

• US 8,525,087 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Romeo, Derek Joseph, Cogley, Paul Andrew, Matusheski, Amy Lynn, Petrofsky, Keith Eric, Privert, Peter, Tangprasertchai, Uraiwan, Greiner, Steven Paul, Darin, Neil Edward, Brooks, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): VAN, QUANG T
• Application Number:
  US13/115,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20110226761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 219728-732, 219/734, 219/725, 219/735, 219/759, 426/107, 426/234, 426/241, 426/243, 426/443, 426/549, 229/104, 229/117.01, 229/120, 229/120.32, 229/206, 229/229, 99D/IG.14
• US Class Current: 219/730
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2205/02 Venting holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3406 Pizza or bread
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3456 Means for holding the contents at a distance from the base of the package, e.g. raised islands or protrusions B65D2581/3459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/346 integral to the package, e.g. the package is transformed into a stand
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3494 Microwave susceptor B65D2581/3487 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3497 attached to the side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/366 Pizza
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups

Abstract

Multi-purpose food preparation kits for foods which include dough, at least a portion of which is exposed for cooking, browning, and crisping, and optionally rising. The kits include a support base of susceptor material elevated above a support surface by an elevator member either incorporated with a base or separate therefrom. Kits further include a ring component of susceptor material which surrounds the food product, and which is dimensioned larger than the initial dimensions of the food product, so as to be spaced therefrom, at least initially, prior to cooking The space inside the ring component allows the dough to rise during cooking without obstruction by the susceptor ring and without imparting thermal energy from the susceptor ring to the dough surface. In one embodiment the susceptor base it provided in the form of a shipping carton.

Claims

1. A food product kit, for cooking, browning and crisping a rising dough rim having a first smaller uncooked size and a second larger cooked size, comprising:

a support wall located substantially beneath a susceptor food support surface portion that is configured to carry the rising dough rim thereon, the support wall elevating the susceptor food support surface portion and cooperating with the support surface portion to form a substantially enclosed cavity beneath the support surface portion, the support wall comprising spaced-apart slots;

a susceptor ring for use above said food support surface portion having a susceptor surface facing both a top and a side of said rising dough rim, said susceptor ring having a size larger than the first uncooked size of said rising dough rim, approximately equal to the second, larger, cooked size of said rising dough rim and sized to fit within the cavity beneath the support surface portion; and

said susceptor ring supported above said rising dough rim such that, as said rising dough rim is cooked, said rising dough rim rises and contacts said susceptor surface effective to conductively heat, brown and crisp at least a portion of said rising dough rim and is subsequently confined in size by said susceptor surface, the susceptor ring comprising spaced-apart downwardly extending tabs that insert into the slots in the support wall, travel within the slots, and are guided by the slots during lifting of the susceptor ring by the rising dough rim.

2. The food product kit according to claim 1 wherein said susceptor ring includes a support ring portion above the susceptor surface to provide an extender support for said susceptor ring which remains out of contact with said rising dough rim.

3. The food product kit of claim 1 wherein said susceptor ring initially contacts and is supported by said support wall and is raised above said susceptor support during cooking of said rising dough rim to form a vent area between said susceptor ring and said support wall such that said susceptor ring is heated during lifting of said rising dough rim prior to contact with said rising dough rim.

4. The food product kit of claim 1 wherein said susceptor ring forms a central opening and includes a strap member spanning the central opening.

5. The food product kit of claim 1 wherein said susceptor ring forms a central opening and includes an X-shape web spanning the central opening.

6. The food product kit of claim 1 wherein said susceptor ring is expandable in a circumferential direction.

7. A food product kit, for cooking, browning and crisping a rising dough rim having a first smaller uncooked size and a second larger cooked size, comprising:

a support wall located substantially beneath a susceptor food support surface portion that is configured to carry the rising dough rim thereon, the support wall elevating the susceptor food support surface portion and cooperating with the support surface portion to form a substantially enclosed cavity beneath the support surface portion, the support wall comprising spaced-apart slots;

a susceptor ring having a susceptor surface facing said rising dough rim, said susceptor ring having a size larger than the first uncooked size of said rising dough rim, approximately equal to the second, larger, cooked size of said rising dough rim and sized to fit within the cavity beneath the support surface portion; and

said susceptor ring supported above said rising dough rim such that, as said rising dough rim is cooked, said rising dough rim rises and contacts said susceptor surface effective to conductively heat, brown and crisp at least a portion of said rising dough rim and is subsequently confined in size by said susceptor surface, the susceptor ring comprising spaced-apart downwardly extending tabs that insert into the slots in the support wall, travel within the slots, and are guided by the slots during lifting of the susceptor ring by the rising dough rim.

8. A food product kit, for cooking, browning and crisping a rising dough rim having a first smaller uncooked size and a second larger cooked size, comprising:

a support wall located substantially beneath a susceptor food support surface portion that is configured to carry the rising dough rim thereon, the food support surface portion having a depressed central portion surrounded by a raised peripheral rim, the support wall elevating the susceptor food support surface portion and cooperating with the support surface portion to form a substantially enclosed cavity beneath the support surface portion, the support wall comprising spaced-apart slots;

a susceptor ring for use above said food support surface having a susceptor surface facing said rising dough rim, said susceptor ring having a size larger than the first uncooked size of said rising dough rim, approximately equal to the second, larger, cooked size of said rising dough rim and sized to fit within the cavity beneath the support surface portion; and

said susceptor ring supported above said rising dough rim such that, as said rising dough rim is cooked, said rising dough rim rises and contacts said susceptor surface effective to conductively heat, brown and crisp at least a portion of said rising dough rim, the susceptor ring comprising spaced-apart downwardly extending tabs that insert into the slots in the support wall, travel within the slots, and are guided by the slots during lifting of the susceptor ring by the rising dough rim.

9. The food product kit of claim 8, wherein the susceptor ring includes a peripheral footing that is configured to rest on the raised peripheral rim of said food support surface prior to rising of the rising dough rim.

10. The food product kit of claim 9, wherein the depressed central portion of the food support surface is generally planar and a curved segment joins the depressed central portion and the peripheral footing.

11. The food product kit of claim 10, wherein the peripheral footing has a generally planar segment that is substantially parallel to the depressed central portion of the food support surface.