The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 22, 1985
Filed:
Feb. 17, 1984
James D Watkins, Prior Lake, MN (US);
Golden Valley Foods Inc., Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Abstract
A method is described of filling and sealing a popcorn package. A flexible bag is provided which may be formed from flexible sheet material such as paper having longitudinally extending gussets in which the infolded portions of the gussets approach each other closely to divide the bag into a pair of collateral tubes communicating together along a central line. The bag is held in an upright position with one of the tubes in a collapsed state while the other is expanded. The expanded tube has a smaller cross-section than the other tube. A charge of fat and corn is introduced into the tube of smaller cross-section through its open top. Preferably, a means is provided for collapsing the tube of smaller cross-section transversely at a point below the center of the bag but above the bottom end of the bag to maintain the charge at the center of the bag and in the smaller tube. The bag is then sealed. During popping in a microwave oven, microwave energy is absorbed efficiently to achieve a popped volume about 10% to 15% greater than an equivalent package with tubes of equal cross-section. The popcorn passes during heating from the smaller tube to the larger tube as the bag expands during the popping operation.