Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Surface coated – fluid encapsulated – laminated solid... – Isolated whole seed – bean or nut – or material derived therefrom
Reissue Patent
2000-04-27
2001-07-10
Cano, Milton (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Surface coated, fluid encapsulated, laminated solid...
Isolated whole seed, bean or nut, or material derived therefrom
C426S103000, C426S123000, C426S573000, C426S633000, C426S102000, C426S106000, C426S389000, C426S414000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037275
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of nut butter and jelly food products, and more particularly to a pre-formed nut butter and jelly slice and a method and apparatus for making such slices.
The combination of peanut butter and jelly has been, and continues to be, a favorite and desirable food product for people of all ages. In fact, one could say that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have been a staple lunchbox food for years.
Traditionally, peanut butter and jelly products have been marketed and sold separately in individual jars or other suitable containers. To make a sandwich, an hors d'oeuvre or other food product, peanut butter and jelly are taken from the individual containers and spread on a piece of bread, a cracker or other suitable food substrate.
To decrease the time and effort required to make peanut butter and jelly food products, and also to lessen the mess generated in the process, peanut butter and jelly have been combined and packaged together in a single container. Usually, as shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,117,871, 3,552,980 and 3,615,591, the peanut butter and the jelly have been swirled and/or layered together in the food containers. The swirled layers are intended to allow one who is making a peanut butter and jelly food product to retrieve a sufficient amount of both peanut butter and jelly to make a tasty sandwich or other treat.
While the above-described peanut butter and jelly packaging techniques have proven to be satisfactory, one must still remove the peanut butter and jelly from the respective container(s) to spread it on a food substrate, such as bread or crackers. This removal and spreading process is time consuming and messy, especially for smaller children. Therefore, a peanut butter and jelly packaging technique that allows for the ready and mess-free use of peanut butter and jelly would be advantageous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a pre-formed nut butter and jelly food slice that enables a person of any age to easily and quickly make a nut butter and jelly sandwich, or other food product, without the fuss and mess associated with prior techniques for packaging nut butter and jelly. The nut butter and jelly food slice comprise at least one layer of jelly and at least one layer of nut butter. Preferably the nut butter is peanut butter.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the nut butter and jelly food slice includes a first and a second layer of jelly disposed in contacting relationship with each other. The first and second layers of jelly cooperate to define a hollow region therebetween. A volume of nut butter is disposed within the hollow region such that the volume of nut butter is encapsulated between the first and second layers of jelly.
According to a specific example of the preferred embodiment of the nut butter and jelly food slice, the slice includes a first layer of jelly having a recess therein. A layer of nut butter is disposed within the recess in the first layer of jelly. A second layer of jelly is disposed over the first layer of jelly and the layer of nut butter, such that the layer of nut butter is encapsulated between the first and second layers of jelly.
The invention further provides a method of forming a nut butter and jelly food slice which includes the steps of: forming a first layer of jelly having a raised edge to define a recess therein; depositing a layer of nut butter within the recess formed in the first layer of jelly; and forming a second layer of jelly over the first layer of jelly and the layer of nut butter to encapsulate the layer of nut butter between the first and second layers of jelly.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for forming a nut butter and jelly slice includes, in combination, a first mold having a bottom surface having a recessed edge around the perimeter thereof, and a second mold. The first mold is operable to contain a first layer of molten jelly that is placed therein to form a first solidified layer of jelly having a raised edge and a recessed area. The second mold includes a bottom surface and a raised perimeter wall connected to the bottom surface. The second mold is operable to contain the first solidified layer of jelly formed in the first mold, a layer of nut butter deposited within the recess formed in the first solidified layer of jelly, and a second layer of molten jelly that is placed over the first solidified layer of jelly and the layer of nut butter to form a second solidified layer of jelly. The layer of nut butter is encapsulated between the first and second solidified layers of jelly.
The present invention also provides a pre-formed food slice comprising at least one pre-formed layer of jelly dimensioned to fit on a food substrate. Suitable food substrates include bread, and the food slice can be used to prepare a jelly sandwich.
The present invention further provides jelly suitable for preparing the jelly food slices and the nut butter and jelly food slices of the invention. The jelly comprises: fruit juice; a volume of water approximately equal to the volume of fruit juice; about 0.5 cup sugar per cup of fruit juice; about 1 tablespoon pectin per cup of fruit juice; about 2 tablespoons gelatin per cup of fruit juice; about 1 tablespoon vegetable oil per cup of fruit juice; and about 2 teaspoons food starch per cup of fruit juice.
The present invention also provides a pre-formed and pre-packaged food product which includes a flexible package covering having a first cover portion having a bottom wall and at least one side wall connected to the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the side wall cooperate to define an open recessed area. A second cover portion is removably connected to the side wall and extends across the open recessed area. A food slice according to the invention (jelly alone or nut butter and jelly) is disposed within the open recessed area defined in the first cover portion of the flexible package covering.
Finally, the invention provides a food product package which includes a food container having a bottom wall, at least one raised perimeter wall connected to the bottom wall, and a lid removably secured to the raised perimeter wall. The bottom wall and the raised perimeter wall cooperate to define a recess. A plurality of food slices (jelly alone or nut butter and jelly) are disposed within the food container.
The food slices of the present invention (jelly alone or nut butter and jelly) are firm yet flexible, and can be rolled up and eaten by hand. Alternatively, they can be used to prepare a food item, such as a sandwich, without the usual fuss and mess. The food slices of the invention may be formed in any suitable shape or size, including, for example, comic characters. In addition, multiple food slices may be packaged together in a single container.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1578122 (1926-03-01), Higgins
patent: 3044883 (1962-07-01), Ferguson, Jr.
patent: 3117871 (1964-01-01), Bahr et al.
patent: 3552980 (1971-01-01), Cooper et al.
patent: 3615591 (1971-10-01), Newlin et al.
patent: 3969514 (1976-07-01), Tiemstra
patent: 3969536 (1976-07-01), Ikeda et al.
patent: 5034242 (1991-07-01), Lasdon et al.
patent: 5567454 (1996-10-01), Bogdan
Cano Milton
PJ Squares LLC
Welsh & Katz Ltd.
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