Signals and indicators – Indicators – Temperature responsive or compensating means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-02
2001-01-23
Gutierrez, Diego (Department: 2859)
Signals and indicators
Indicators
Temperature responsive or compensating means
C116S219000, C099S342000, C374S162000, C374S155000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176197
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to temperature indicators for use in cooking various food products such as, for example, meat, fish and poultry products, and are inserted into and cooked with the food product, and upon reaching a certain temperature provide an indication that the inside of the food product has reached a desired temperature.
BACKGROUND ART
The assignee of the present invention, Volk Enterprises Inc., manufactures and sells a variety of pop-up food grade temperature indicators that typically are pre-inserted into a food product, such as whole chickens or turkeys, and sold to consumers with the poultry or meat product and are designed to be cooked with the product. During cooking, when the inner tip of the temperature indicator reaches a specified temperature particular to a metal alloy within the temperature indicator, the alloy melts, allowing an interior spring to force a stem to “pop up,” indicating that the food product has reached the desired temperature. While these pop-up temperature indicators are widely used, there is a need to provide an improved temperature indicator design that achieves a total seal for the components of the temperature indicator.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,236 of Nicol, entitled “Temperature Indicating Devices,” discloses a temperature indicator with a totally sealed temperature indicator enclosure in which are held two different aqueous solutions separated by a non-aqueous solid layer and a ball bearing. When inserted into, for example, a frozen food product, the solid, non-aqueous layer melts when the food product has thawed, and the two aqueous solutions mix and produce a substantially permanent coloration dissimilar from the color of the liquids prior to mixing. The solid, non-aqueous layer is designed to melt at temperatures in the range of thawing temperatures for common food items, with the patent giving specific examples for temperatures ranging from −20° F. to 79° F. While the temperature indicator of Nicol appears to provide a suitable indication for determining when food products have thawed, its design and application are limited to a narrow range of relatively low temperatures, due to the nature of the aqueous solutions and the plasticised PVC or polyethylene tubing used for the indicator device.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Briefly described, the temperature indicator of the present invention comprises an enclosed tubular translucent structure, a first media within the enclosed tubular structure occupying a substantial portion of a first half of the enclosed tubular structure, and a second media within the enclosed tubular structure away from said first half of the enclosed tubular structure. The first media has a first color and a melting point at or below the desired temperature and the second media has a second color and a melting point at or below the desired temperature. The first and second media are a homogenous solution upon melting and mixing with one another, whereupon the first and second solid media melt at the desired temperature and subsequently mix to form a homogenous solution having a color that is different from the first color.
According to an aspect of the invention, the first media is a solid media and the second media has a specific gravity that is less than the specific gravity of the first solid media, so that with the enclosed tubular structure oriented with the first end up, the second media rises up into the first solid media when the two are in a liquid state, enhancing mixing of the two media. Preferably, the first and second media are made of one of an organic material and food grade wax media.
According to another aspect of the invention, the enclosed tubular structure is comprised of a length of tubing and top and bottom caps that seal off the open ends of the tubing. The tubing and top and bottom caps are made of a material suitable for cooking temperatures required to properly cook common food items.
According to another aspect of the invention, the enclosed tubular structure includes a device that ensures proper seating of the temperature indicator into a food product. Preferably, the proper seating device comprises a depth flange.
According to another aspect of the invention, the enclosed tubular structure includes a wide top end with a large space filled with the first solid media, which when melted and mixed with the second media, creates a large, easily noticeable color indication. The wide top end creates a flange for properly seating the temperature indicator into a food product.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the temperature indicator includes an enclosed tubular translucent structure and a temperature indicating media within the tubular translucent structure. The temperature indicating media has a first color at room temperature and a second color at a desired temperature to be indicated. The indicator also includes a holder for inserting into a food product and for receiving the enclosed tubular translucent structure in order to position one end of the tubular translucent structure within the interior of the food product. The holder has a length that is shorter than the length of the tubular translucent structure, so that a second, opposite end of the tubular translucent structure sticks out of the holder when inserted therein and is visible in a manner that the second color of the tubular translucent structure can be seen at the exterior of the food product.
According to an aspect of this embodiment of the invention, the holder has a closed, bottom end and an open top end for receiving the tubular translucent structure. Preferably, the holder has a flange at its open end for seating the holder into the food product, and the open end includes a removable cap for closing the open end.
According to another aspect of the invention, either the first or second media may be solid at room temperature, so that mixing does not occur until the solid media melts and thereafter mixes with the other liquid media to form a homogenous solution of uniform color.
These and other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the best mode for carrying out the invention, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the claims, which are all incorporated herein as part of the disclosure of the invention.
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Flehr Hohbach Test Albritton & Herbert LLP
Gutierrez Diego
Pruchnic Jr. Stanley J.
Volk Enterprises Inc.
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