| (19) |
 |
|
(11) |
EP 0 294 087 A3 |
| (12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| (88) |
Date of publication A3: |
|
07.06.1989 Bulletin 1989/23 |
| (43) |
Date of publication A2: |
|
07.12.1988 Bulletin 1988/49 |
| (22) |
Date of filing: 25.05.1988 |
|
| (51) |
International Patent Classification (IPC)4: B65D 81/34 |
|
| (84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
AT BE CH DE ES FR GB GR IT LI LU NL SE |
| (30) |
Priority: |
05.06.1987 US 58944
|
| (71) |
Applicant: NABISCO BRANDS, INC. |
|
East Hanover
New Jersey 07936 (US) |
|
| (72) |
Inventor: |
|
- Winter, Gerald J.
Paterson
New Jersey 07504 (US)
|
| (74) |
Representative: Thomas, Roger Tamlyn et al |
|
D. Young & Co.
21 New Fetter Lane London EC4A 1DA London EC4A 1DA (GB) |
|
| |
|
| (54) |
Microwave popcorn product with serving bowl feature |
(57) Corn kernels packaged within an elongate bag (10) can be popped with microwaves and
served in the bag. During popping, part of the bag's longitudinally-extending back
seal opens and permits vapors to vent from the bag. After the kernels are popped,
the back seal (28) is fully opened to transform the bag (10) into a serving bowl having
an opening defined by the edges of bag material previously forming the back seal (28).
The bag (10) is made from a laminate of two paper layers (38,40) with a susceptor
(36) between the two paper layers (38,40) at a location where the bag (10) will contact
the floor of the microwave oven. Alternatively, instead of using two layers of paper,
a single layer of paper surrounding a layer of polymeric barrier material can be employed.
The back seal (28) is formed from side edges of a web (30,32) of the laminate either
by bonding the inner layers of the web edges together or by bonding the inner layer
of one web edge to the outer layer of the other web edge. If the innermost layer of
the bag is made of a polymeric barrier material, the back seal can be formed by pressing
the web edges together under heat and pressure. If the innermost layer is paper, an
adhesive must be applied to the web edges before they are pressed together, usually
at elevated temperatures. A method of preparing the package of corn kernels is also
disclosed.
