US6153232A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Boil-in-bag package
Assignee: Uncle Ben's Inc
•
Filing: 1999-02-11
•
Granted: 2000-11-28
•
Expires: 2019-02-11
Abstract
Abstract A boil-in-bag package for the storage and cooking of food items includes an elongated rectangular shaped bag having an inside and an outside wall, a closed top end and an open bottom end. A handle section is adjacent the top end of the bag section, with the handle section having an upper and a lower portion and a first and second side. The upper portion of the handle section includes an opening sized and shaped for receiving a lifting utensil. A sealing/release mechanism is positioned on the handle section and is configured to releaseably close the open bottom end of the elongated bag section contiguous with the handle section thereby forming a U-shaped package configured to allow a through-flow of fluid between the inside walls of the U-shaped package. The sealing/release mechanism is further configured to allow for the release of the open bottom end from the handle section without contacting the elongated bag section.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven Holten
- 👤 Balbir Singh
- 👤 David A. Blythe
- 👤 Simon R. Gainey
- 👤 Edward J. O'Brien
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:20
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/34; B65D81/3415; B65B; B65B9/00; B65B9/06; B65B9/08; B65B9/093; B65D33/00; B65D33/16; B65D33/24; B65D33/246; B65D33/25; B65D33/2508; B65D33/2541; B65D75/00; B65D75/52; B65D75/58; B65D75/5805
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A boil-in-bag package for the storage and cooking of food items, the package comprising: a) an elongated rectangular shaped bag section having an inside and an outside wall, a closed top end and an open bottom end; b) a handle section adjacent the top end, said handle section having an upper and a lower portion, and a first and second side, said upper portion including an opening sized and shaped for receiving a lifting utensil; c) a sealing/release mechanism positioned on the handle section and configured to releaseably close the open bottom end of said elongated bag section contiguous with a portion of the handle section by capturing the open bottom end within the sealing/release mechanism, thereby forming a U-shaped package configured to allow a through-flow of fluid between the inside walls of the U-shaped package, and d) the sealing/release mechanism being further configured to allow for the release of the open bottom end from the handle section without contacting the elongated bag section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
A boil-in-bag package for the storage and cooking of food items, the package comprising: a) an elongated rectangular shaped bag section having an inside and an outside wall, a closed top end and an open bottom end; b) a handle section adjacent the top end, said handle section having an upper and a lower portion, and a first and second side, said upper portion including an opening sized and shaped for receiving a lifting utensil; c) a sealing/release mechanism positioned on the handle section and configured to releaseably close the open bottom end of said elongated bag section contiguous with a portion of the handle section by capturing the open bottom end within the sealing/release mechanism, thereby forming a U-shaped package configured to allow a through-flow of fluid between the inside walls of the U-shaped package, and d) the sealing/release mechanism being further configured to allow for the release of the open bottom end from the handle section without contacting the elongated bag section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 1, wherein the handle section is separately formed and attached to the top end of the bag section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The boil-in-bag of claim 1, wherein the handle section is formed of a material having a specific gravity less than the specific gravity of water.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 1, wherein the sealing/release mechanism is a zipper fastener having first and second elements configured for selective interlocking, the elements having first and second ends and interlocking members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 4, wherein one of the elements of the zipper fastener is longitudinally attached to the lower portion of the second side of said handle section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 4, wherein a portion of the second end of the second element of the zipper fastener is attached to the handle section adjacent the second end of the first element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 4, wherein the zipper fastener closes the open bottom end of the bag section contiguous with the handle section by engaging the inside and outside walls of the open bottom end between the interlocking members of the first and second elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 7, wherein the bottom end of the bag section is released from the handle section by disengaging the interlocking member of the second element from the interlocking member of the first element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 1, wherein the bag section is formed from a heat sealable plastic film material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 8, wherein the bag section material has a thickness in a range of generally about between 0.25 to 5.0 mil.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 10, wherein the bag section material has a thickness in a range of generally about of 0.5 to 3.0 mil.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 1, wherein the sealing/release mechanism is a perforated tear strip contained within the handle section, the tear strip releasing the open bottom end of the bag section from the handle section when the perforations of the tear strip are broken.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 1, wherein the sealing/release mechanism is formed from a handle section having at least one tab and at least one slot in parallel alignment with the at least one tab, the handle section being configured to hold and release the open bottom end of the bag section contiguous with the handle section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
The boil-in-bag package of claim 1, wherein the sealing/release mechanism is an elongated pressure sensitive tape having a perforated line, said tape being applied to and extending beyond a folded open end of the bag section positioned contiguous to the handle section, the tape releasing the folded open bottom end of the bag section form the handle section when the perforations of the tape are broken.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
203 words
A boil-in-bag package for the storage and cooking of food items, the package comprising: a) an elongated rectangular shaped bag section having an inside and an outside wall, a closed top end and an open bottom end; b) a handle section adjacent the top end, said handle section having an upper and a lower portion, and a first and second side, said upper portion including an opening sized and shaped for receiving a lifting utensil; c) a zipper fastener positioned on the handle section and configured to releaseably close the open bottom end of said elongated bag section contiguous with a portion of the handle section thereby forming a U-shaped package configured to allow a through-flow of fluid between the inside walls of the U-shaped package; d) the zipper fastener having first and second elements with interlocking members, the first element being longitudinally attached to the handle section, the first and second elements engaging the inside and outside walls of the open bottom end between their respective interlocking members to close the open bottom end; and e) the zipper fastener being further configured to allow for the release of the open bottom end from the handle section without contacting the elongated bag section.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
203 words
A boil-in-bag package for the storage and cooking of food items, the package comprising: a) an elongated rectangular shaped bag section having an inside and an outside wall, a closed top end and an open bottom end; b) a handle section adjacent the top end, said handle section having an upper and a lower portion, and a first and second side, said upper portion including an opening sized and shaped for receiving a lifting utensil; c) a zipper fastener positioned on the handle section and configured to releaseably close the open bottom end of said elongated bag section contiguous with a portion of the handle section thereby forming a U-shaped package configured to allow a through-flow of fluid between the inside walls of the U-shaped package; d) the zipper fastener having first and second elements with interlocking members, the first element being longitudinally attached to the handle section, the first and second elements engaging the inside and outside walls of the open bottom end between their respective interlocking members to close the open bottom end; and e) the zipper fastener being further configured to allow for the release of the open bottom end from the handle section without contacting the elongated bag section.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB191112680A
Cited
US2145941A
Cited
US3081174A
Cited
US3114643A
Cited
GB1013665A
Cited
US3199437A
Cited
US3407077A
Cited
US3615712A
Cited
US3873735A
Cited
US3819089A
Cited
US3830944A
Cited
US3895118A
Cited
DE7540166U
Cited
US4290521A
Cited
US4358466A
Cited
GB2117350A
Cited
US4514426A
Cited
US4605123A
Cited
GB2171077A
Cited
US4651870A
Cited
US4879124A
Cited
US4787755A
Cited
US4796300A
Cited
US4923701A
Cited
US5419437A
Cited
DE4017363A1
Cited
US5342634A
Cited
EP0478812A1
Cited
EP0499647A1
Cited
US5044777A
Cited
US5222813A
Cited
GB2276138A
Cited
EP0561654A1
Cited
US5366741A
Cited
GB2283007A
Cited
US5552165A
Cited
US5863585A
Cited
US5827559A
Cited
DE19716141A1
Cited
US5914142A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-28 | 2004-05-29 | 2004-11-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-28 | 2008-05-29 | 2008-11-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-28 | 2012-05-29 | 2012-11-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |