Mobil Oil Corporation

Pactiv Corporation

Tenneco Packaging Inc.

Tenneco Plastics Company

Stephen L Goulette

Vinod K Luthra

Gary R DelDuca

Darryl P Hansen

Alan E Deyo

Glenn C Castner

Allen J Norby

Daniel G Carr

Rollie H DeMay

Robert A Sloan

Jill F Thompson

Edward A Colombo

Jonathan Gross

Philip Stanley Baker

Roland De May

A method and apparatus for inserting an oxygen scavenger into a modified atmosphere package for extending the shelf life of food, especially raw meats. A scavenger feeder feeds a chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers. A separator separates the oxygen scavenger located at an exposed end of the chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers from the chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers. An adhesive applicator applies adhesive to the oxygen scavenger which has been separated from the chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers. A conveyor conveys the separated oxygen scavenger to a position which is adjacent to a film layer which is used to form an outer package of the modified atmosphere package so that the oxygen scavenger is attached to a surface of the film layer by the adhesive. The film layer is subsequently formed into the outer package so that the oxygen scavenger that is attached to the film layer is contained within the outer package. Optionally, an injector injects the oxygen scavenger at the exposed end of the chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers with an oxygen uptake accelerator to activate the oxygen scavenger prior to separating the oxygen scavenger from the chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers. The modified atmosphere package comprises the outer package, the oxygen scavenger, and any food-filled inner package which is inserted into the outer package.

Apparatus for inserting an oxygen scavenger into a modified atmosphere package

A unique method and apparatus for inserting an oxygen scavenger into a modified atmosphere package for extending the shelf life of food, especially raw meats. A scavenger feeder feeds a chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers. A separator separates the oxygen scavenger located at an exposed end of the chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers from the chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers. An adhesive applicator applies adhesive to the oxygen scavenger which has been separated from the chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers. A conveyor conveys the separated oxygen scavenger to a position which is adjacent to a film layer which is used to form an outer package of the modified atmosphere package so that the oxygen scavenger is attached to a surface of the film layer by the adhesive. The film layer is subsequently formed into the outer package so that the oxygen scavenger that is attached to the film layer is contained within the outer package. Optionally, an injector injects the oxygen scavenger at the exposed end of the chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers with an oxygen uptake accelerator to activate the oxygen scavenger prior to separating the oxygen scavenger from the chain of interconnected oxygen scavengers. The modified atmosphere package comprises the outer package, the oxygen scavenger, and any food-filled inner package which is inserted into the outer package.

Method and apparatus for inserting an oxygen scavenger into a modified atmosphere package

A modified atmosphere package includes first and second compartments separated by a partition member that is substantially permeable to oxygen. The first compartment contains an oxygen scavenger activated with an oxygen scavenger accelerator. The second compartment contains a retail cut of raw meat. Various techniques are employed to rapidly reduce the oxygen level in the second compartment below pigment sensitive levels so that the growth of metmyoglobin is inhibited. Some of these techniques increase the flow of oxygen from the second compartment to the first compartment through the partition member, while other techniques directly absorb oxygen within the second compartment by locating a second oxygen scavenger within the second compartment.

Modified atmosphere package with accelerated reduction of oxygen level

A modified atmosphere package includes first and second compartments separated by a partition member that is substantially permeable to oxygen. The first compartment contains an oxygen scavenger activated with an oxygen scavenger accelerator. The second compartment contains a retail cut of raw meat. Various techniques are employed to rapidly reduce the oxygen level in the second compartment below pigment sensitive levels so that the growth of metmyoglobin is inhibited. Some of these techniques increase the flow of oxygen from the second compartment to the first compartment through the partition member to a level inhibiting the formation of metmyoglobin in the raw meat.

A domed container for the preparation and display of food includes a receptacle, a dome cover, and a hollow mold member. The receptacle has a bottom with a top surface and an outer circumference. The bottom possesses at least one groove in a closed, continuous pattern. The groove has two side surfaces and a bottom surface, and each side surface is configured to include projections extending into the groove. The dome cover includes a top wall having at least one wall depending therefrom. The depending wall has an outside surface and an inside surface. The container possesses a locking structure for releasably locking the cover to the receptacle. The hollow mold member, which forms a closed continuous pattern, has a lower edge that fits into the groove of the receptacle and is held in place from each side by an interference fit between the projections of the side surfaces of the groove and the lower edge, thereby removably attaching the hollow mold member perpendicularly to the receptacle.

Containers for preparation and display of foods

A nestable hinged container for packaging consumer articles. The container includes a receptacle having a base formed with relation to the consumer article, the base terminating in an uppermost edge having an outer periphery, the receptacle further having an upstanding peripheral side wall integral to the outer periphery of the uppermost edge of the base, the peripheral side wall terminating at an upper end thereof in an outwardly projecting peripheral rim flange; and a lid hingedly connected to the receptacle, the lid having an an outwardly projecting peripheral rim flange and an inwardly projecting concave portion located on an upper surface of the lid, the concave portion formed in relation to the base so as to enable nested stacking of a plurality of the containers.

Nestable hinged container for the display and storage of consumer

An apparatus for splicing the trailing end of an unwind depleted web of material to the lead end of a new web of material in a registered and/or abutting mode without the need for any appreciable overlap between the ends of the ceasing or slow-down of the continual forward advance of the web towards a work station, for instance, such as a thermoformer.

Roll unwind butt splicer

An arrangement for the thermoforming of molded plastic articles from a continuous web of a thermoplastic material, and more particularly, a trim in place thermoforming arrangement in which the plastic articles are simultaneously molded and at least substantially or completely separated from the remaining thermoplastic web material. A high degree of alignment and precision is obtained between cooperating cutting blades employed in the trimming of the thermoformed articles, because of a unique self-aligning or floating support structure of at least one of the cutting blades operating in conjunction with the thermoforming apparatus. The self-aligning action provided for between the slidingly contacting cutting blades allows for an automatic compensation for any temperature changes and blade wear encountered during operation, and with only one movable part being required for the trim in place device.

Growing community of inventors

Newark, NY, United States of America

Stephen L Goulette