Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Hollow or container type article – Glass – ceramic – or sintered – fused – fired – or calcined metal...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-15
2001-09-18
Dye, Rena L. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Hollow or container type article
Glass, ceramic, or sintered, fused, fired, or calcined metal...
C428S034600, C428S034900, C428S035200, C428S192000, C428S195100, C428S200000, C428S134000, C428S137000, C206S497000, C215S246000, C053S442000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06291037
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a device which may be used to seal food into open-topped containers. In particular, this invention relates to a device suitable for heat shrinking film onto such open-topped containers to seal food or drink inside the container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently in the fast food drink industry it is typical to serve a drink in a paper, plastic or other disposable cup topped with a preformed plastic lid. The plastic lid fits tightly over the lip formed at the top of, for example, a paper drink cup, and may include apertures to permit straws or openings to be formed in the lid to directly drink the contents of the cup.
Unfortunately, there are many problems associated with the use of these plastic lids. For example, the lids are generally expensive. Further, the lids are bulky and create problems in storage and in disposal. Further, the seal formed by the lids is dependant upon the lid being placed on properly, and can leak if not properly placed. Finally, the handling of the lid is not completely hygienic.
In order to overcome these problems, various devices and methods have been proposed in which a cover is placed on an open-topped container and then heated to shrink it into sealing engagement with the top of such a container. Examples of such devices can be found in the following United States patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,260,775; 3,354,604; 3,460,317 3,491,510; 3,494,098; 3,507,093; 3,621,637; 3,877,200; 3,838,550; 3,916,602; 4,035,987:4,184,310 and 4,562,688. While the solutions proposed by these prior devices and methods are interesting, they fail to provide a sufficiently cost efficient, easy and inexpensive alternative to preformed rigid plastic lids. As a consequence, rigid plastic lids remain in widespread use. Some of the main failings of these prior devices are that they are bulky, noisy, unresponsive, and expensive. Heating systems comprising blowing air over a hot element and then onto a film require large amounts of unnecessary heat, even when in standby mode, which makes temperature control very difficult. Further, continuous elevated temperatures are expensive to maintain and may be deleterious to the immediate environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Aside from the benefits of increased hygiene and reduced waste, the present invention is directed to providing a practical device which has commercial utility. One aspect of the present device is to provide an energy efficient way of sealing open-topped containers which avoids any substantial build-up of heat. An intermittent source of radiant energy is used, and energy is directed onto an energy absorber located at the specific place where heat is required. Thus, heat is originated where it is needed, when it is needed and a cooler, quieter, safer and more efficient device results.
A packaging film which shrinks to form at least a part of a package when exposed to heat, said packaging film comprising:
a thin film substrate of the type that contracts when heated and which is substantially transparent to radiant energy;
a susceptor material carried by the substrate, said susceptor material being sufficiently opaque to radiant energy to absorb and transfer to said substrate sufficient heat energy to cause said film to shrink upon said packaging film being exposed to a source of radiant energy, wherein exposure to said source of radiant energy causes the film packaging to preferentially shrink in a predetermined manner.
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Bakker William J.
Williams N. A.
Dye Rena L.
Fay, Sharpe, Fagan, Minich & McKee LLP
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