US2723200A - Method for packaging viscous food preparations - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 8, 1955 H. PYENSON 2,723,200

METHOD FOR PACKAGING VISCOUS FOOD PREPARATIONS Filed Nov. 8, 1950 I, r /4 L I 1 l /f INVENTOR. I BFIARRY PYENSON (L-M (J/M40 ATM/9166K United States Patent METHOD FOR PACKAGING VISCOUS FOOD PREPARATIONS Application November 8, 1950, Serial No. 194,588

1 Claim. (Cl. 99-171) This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in a method for packaging viscous food preparations for facilitating the dispensing thereof.

Heretofore, food preparations of relative high viscosity, such as mayonnaise, chili sauce, syrups, and the like, have been customarily packaged within glass jars, long-necked glass bottles, and tin cans. With such food items packaged in cans and jars, the user often resorts to a spoon or similar implement for assisting the flow of the material therefrom, whereas with long-necked bottles, such as in the case of catsup, the user must strike the base of the bottle rather forcibly to effect flow of the food preparation. In addition to the inherent difficulty in the dispensing of such food preparations there is ordinarily a dehydrating effect whereby a surface crust will, in many cases, form so that in the discharge of the contents the force applied to rupture the crust is usually of such proportion as to cause, upon breaking of the crust, the material to flow out at a rate greater than that desired. I

Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a method for assuring steady and controllable flow of viscous food preparations which encompasses subjection of such preparation to a gas at a pressure greatly in excess of the atmospheric pressure.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of the character stated wherein the foodpropelling gas will not interreact with the food preparation, either chemically or physically, andhence solely provides a driving or expelling force upon release thereof.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing- The figure is a transverse sectional view of a suitable type container for dispensing food preparations in accordance with the method of the present invention.

Referring now by reference characters to the figure, A designates a container having a body portion 1 enclosed by a top member 2 within which is disposed a valve 3 adapted for rocking movement to permit discharge of the container contents through the stern thereof and having associated therewith sealing means 4. The dispensing container A, being of the type shown and fully described in the copending application of Aaron S. Lapin, Serial No. 90,807, filed May 2, 1949, represents generically the type of container most appropriate for the operation of the method herein to be described. As will become more apparent hereinafter, other type valved containers such as those of the siphon type may be used with facility for the practice of the present invention.

In packaging food preparations which are somewhat resistant to flow, such as catsup, chili sauce, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressings, apple and other fruit butters, boiled icings, chocolate sauce, marshmallow toppings, and related items, the body portion 1 of the container A is filled with a suflicient quantity of the particular foo d preparation, designated b'in' the figure to leave a substantial unfilled area denoted a. The top 2 with the dispensing valve 3 mounted thereon is then spun or otherwise suitably sealed onto the body portion 1. The air in the unfilled portion a is then evacuated therefrom, and an inert'gas, preferably nitrogen, is then fed under considerable pressure through the valve 3 into the evacuated portion a. For the purposes of the present method, a range of pressures may be used which depend, in part, upon the relative viscosity of the food preparation to be dispensed and, in part, upon the ratio of the filled portion 11 of the container A to the unfilled portion a thereof. In practice, it has been found desirable to fill the container A with the food preparations to about sixty percent (60%) capacity. With mustard, catsup, salad dressing, and the like, the pressure of gas in the portion a is preferably one hundred and twenty pounds per square inch whereas with thicker or more viscous preparations, such as chili sauce, chocolate syrup, and the like, a pressure of one hundred and fifty (150) pounds per square inch is requisite to provide a dispensing action comparable in character. It is, of course, apparent that if the container A is filled to less than sixty percent (60%) capacity, the pressure of the gas may be proportionately reduced.

Herein, nitrogen is the preferred gas to be used since 3 it is most economical and possesses the desired characteristics of chemical inertness, lack of odor, and highly limited solubility in Water. Any of the rare gases such as'xenon, kyrpton, argon, and helium might be used but the cost thereof would be prohibitive. Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, which have been utilized generally with relation to the aeration or flufi'ing of cream are not suitable since they will react with the container ingredients and dissolve therein, which on expulsion will cause a,

fluffing or aeration and in some instances effect an undesired alteration of flavor.

When the user desires to dispense some of the contents of the container A, the same is inverted whereupon the gas and the food preparation will, in effect, change places so that the gas will continue to be disposed in upper position. Upon actuation of the valve 3, by rocking same, the pressure of the gas will drive the food preparation downwardly through and out the valve 3. It will thus be seen that the gas serves solely as a driving or propelling force of sufficient intensity to expell the food preparation overcoming its inherent resistance to flow in a positive, smooth, and controlled manner. Of particular note is the fact that there is no substantial intermixture between the gas and the food preparation. The food preparation dispensed is not in an aerated or fluffed condition and does not physically hold particles of the gas. The gas thus remains independent and distinct from the food preparation which it acts upon.

As the food preparation is used, the pressure of the gas within the container A will, of course, progressively reduce. However, due to the value of the initial pressure, it will always maintain adequate relative force for discharging the contents of the container A upon release.

The distinction between the method herein taught and that utilized in aerated cream is most obvious. In the latter procedure it is requisite that the gases therein used, which are nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide, be dissolved in the cream prior to release of the gas pressure, and severe agitation is utilized to assist the dissolution of the gas. In the present method there is no dissolution or reaction whatever between the propellent and the food of the. several partsrofathecmethod for packaging viscous food preparations and in the step of its production may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of the present invention.

Having thus described ;my invention,.w.hat!I elaimzt-a-nd desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

The method of protectively wpackaging viscous products to-be dispensed under pressure without aeration, comprising the steps of partially filling'such product into a 10 gas-pressure container having-a valve, evacuating 1th 4 'air'from the unfilled portion of the container, filling'the void with nitrogen gas under pressure, and closing such valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 34,894 Lynde Apr. 8, 1862 991,725 Kennedy May 9, 1911 2,120,297 ReineckeQn June 14, 1938 2,294,172 Getz Aug. 25, 1942

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