Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SFOO ICA
BAKING LINER
Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to a baking liner and more
particularly to a baking liner with a means for easy removal of the liner from
the
baked goods.
Background
Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section
are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be
prior
art by inclusion in this section.
Some baked products, such as cupcakes or muffins, are typically baked in
individual paper liners which are positioned in an individual cup of a muffin
baking tin. The paper liners help with easy removal of the baked products from
the baking cups as well as with packaging and distribution of the products,
e.g.
cupcakes.
Before the consumption the baking liner needs to be removed which is
usually done by pinching and pulling the liner away from the baked product.
This
process can be time consuming, can ruin the look of the product and can be
unpleasant and messy for the consumer.
Summary
In one aspect, a baking liner for bakable products is provided. The baking
liner comprises a base and a peripheral sidewall that extends upward from the
base forming a loop. The base and the sidewall define a liner cup that is
sized to
receive the baked product. The sidewall has a top edge that forms the cup's
open
top and a lower edge that is adjoined to the base forming a bottom edge of the
liner. An opening seam is formed in the sidewall that extends from the top
edge to
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the lower edge such that the loop is at least partially discontinuous. A tab
is
formed in proximity to the opening seam and is configured to open the sidewall
into a strap-like (butterfly) configuration by pulling the tab and opening the
sidewall and the base away from the baked product.
In addition to the aspects and embodiments described above, further
aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and
study of the following detailed description.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Throughout the drawings, reference numbers may be re-used to indicate
correspondence between referenced elements. The drawings are provided to
illustrate example embodiments described herein and are not intended to limit
the
scope of the disclosure. Sizes and relative positions of elements in the
drawings
are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various
elements
and angles are not drawn to scale, and some of these elements are arbitrarily
enlarged and positioned to improve drawing legibility.
FIG.1 is a side view of an example of a baking liner for bakable products
showing an opening seam and a tab formed in proximity to the opening seam for
opening and removing the liner from the baked product.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the baking liner of FIG. 1 showing an opening
seam extending from a top edge of a liner's sidewall to its bottom and across
a
base of the liner.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the baking liner of FIG. 1 in an open
configuration.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the baking liner of FIG. 1 before its
removal.
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FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another example of a baking liner showing
a perforated opening seam and a tab formed at the top edge in proximity to the
opening seam.
FIG. 6 is a side view of a baking liner with a tab connected to a perforated
opening seam at some distance from the top edge.
FIG. 7 is a top view of a baking liner showing the perforated opening
seam extending across a base of the liner.
FIG. 8 is a top is a top view of another example of a baking liner with a
perforated opening seam extending from a top edge of the liner to its bottom
and
along a periphery of a base of the liner.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another example of a baking liner with a
perforated opening seam extending diagonally from a top edge of a sidewall of
the liner to its bottom edge.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another example of a baking liner where a
perforated opening seam extends from a top edge of a sidewall of the liner to
its
bottom edge in a curved configuration.
Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments
The present invention discloses a baking liner, such as a disposable paper
liner, that includes features that can aid in separating the liner from the
baked
product without affecting the product. The baked product can be a muffin, a
cupcake or any other cake-like product that is baked in individual liners.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a baking liner 10 used for baking a
bakable product 14. The baking liner 10 can be a disposable paper liner. The
baking liner 10 comprises a peripheral sidewall 12 that loops forming a liner
cup
15 (see FIG. 5) that is sized to receive the product 14. The baked product can
be a
muffin or a cupcake. The sidewall 12 extends upward from a base 13 (see FIG.
2)
such that a lower edge 11 of the sidewall 12 is connected to a periphery edge
16
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of the base 13 forming a bottom edge 17 of the liner 10. A top edge 18 of the
sidewall 12 forms the open top of the cup 15. In some implementations, the
sidewall 12 of the liner 10 can be pleated. An opening seam 20 is formed in
the
sidewall 12 that extends from the top edge 18 toward the bottom edge17 of the
liner 10, such that the loop formed by the sidewall 12 is at least partially
discontinuous. The opening seam 20 can be a small elongated cut in the
sidewall
12, so that it does not compromise or affect the upward structural integrity
of the
sidewall 12, meaning the sidewall 12 extends upwardly from the base 13 even
when a cake batter is added into the liner for baking. A pulling tab 22 is
formed in
proximity to the seam 20. The tab 22 can be hingedly connected to the sidewall
12
on either side of the seam 20. The tab 20 can be positioned at some distance
from
the top and the bottom edge 18, 17. For example, the tab 22 can be positioned
close to a midpoint of the sidewall 12. In one implementation, the tab 22 can
extend along seam 20 from the top edge 18 to the bottom edge 17. Persons
skilled
in the art would understand that the tab 22 can be positioned anywhere along
the
edge of the seam 20 (on either side of the seam 20), without departing from
the
scope of the invention. After the baking, the consumer can simply pull the tab
22
in direction that is approximately perpendicular to the axis of the seam 20 to
peel
the sidewall 12 in open configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and away from
the
baked product 14.
The seam 20 can continue over the bottom edge 17 of the liner 10 and
extends across the base 13 forming a base portion 20a of the opening seam 20
(see FIG. 2). By making the seam 20 continue across the base 13, the consumer
can remove the liner completely from the baked product since will open the
seam
20 and the base 13 as well, separating the sidewall 12 and the base 13 away
from
the product 14 (see FIG. 3). FIG. 3 illustrates the liner 10 in an open, strip-
like
(butterfly), configuration pulled away from the baked product 14. In one
implementation the position of the opening seam 20 can be emphasized by
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coloring the liner parts along the seam 20. In another embodiment the tab 22
can
be colored for easy noticing. A company logo or any other advertisements or
notices can be put on the tab 22.
In one implementation, the opening seam can be perforated opening seam.
For example, FIGs. 5 ¨ 10, illustrate a baking liner 100 with a perforated
opening
seam 210, that extends from the top edge 180 of the liner 100 to its bottom
edge
170. The perforated seam 210 continues across the base 130 forming a base
portion 210a of the perforated opening seam 210 (see FIG. 7). The liner 100
can
further comprise a pulling tab 220 that is formed in proximity to the
perforated
opening seam 210. The tab 220 is configured to tear the perforations and open
the
sidewall 120 (and in some implementations the base 130) into a strap-like
(open)
configuration away from the baked product. In the example liner illustrated in
FIG. 5 the tab 220 is hingedly connected to the top edge 180. In the
embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 6, the tab 220 is hingedly connected to the sidewall 120
along
its longitudinal side, such that the tab 220 extends along the perforated seam
210.
In one implementation, the perforated seam 210 can continue along the
periphery of the base 130 (along the bottom edge 170 of the liner 100) forming
a
base perforated seam 240 (see FIG. 8). In such implementation, when the
consumer pulls the tab 22 it will tear the seam 210 as well as the base seam
240
and will open the side wall 120 away from the baked product while leaving the
base 130 of the liner 100 at the bottom of the baked product.
The perforated opening seam can extend from the top edge to the bottom
edge of the liner in a relatively straight configuration as illustrated in
FIGs. 1 ¨ 8,
or it can have a diagonal configuration 80 as illustrated in FIG. 9, or a
curved
configuration 90 as illustrated in FIG. 10, or any other suitable
configuration
without departing from the scope of the invention.
In one implementation, the perforations along the seam 210 can be
scattered and dispersed. For example, instead of having continuous
perforations as
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illustrated in FIGs. 5 to 10, there can be few of such closing links that are
positioned at some distance one from another to temporarily close the seam 20,
210. In one embodiment, a number of closing stickers can be used to keep the
seam 20, 210 temporarily closed. For example, the liner can comprise one
sticker
positioned at some point along a sidewall portion of the seam 20, 210 and one
sticker positioned at the base portion of the seam 20a, 210a. In one
implementation, an adhesive can be added to the liner itself along a length of
the
seam 20, 210, so that the adhesive edge of the liner overlaps a bit to
temporarily
close the seam 20, 210, but can be easy to peel open much like a sticky note.
In
yet another implementation, an adhesive can be put on a surface of the tab 22,
220, so that it overlaps the seam 20, 210 with the adhesive side of the tab
used to
temporarily close the seam. The adhesive used in any of the above mentioned
embodiments and implementations is suitable for use in food industry and can
withstand high temperatures of about 200 - 250 C.
While particular elements, embodiments and applications of the present
disclosure have been shown and described, it will be understood, that the
scope of
the disclosure is not limited thereto, since modifications can be made by
those
skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure,
particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. Thus, for example, in any
method
or process disclosed herein, the acts or operations making up the
method/process
may be performed in any suitable sequence and are not necessarily limited to
any
particular disclosed sequence. Elements and components can be configured or
arranged differently, combined, and/or eliminated in various embodiments. The
various features and processes described above may be used independently of
one
another, or may be combined in various ways. All possible combinations and
subcombinations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.
Reference throughout this disclosure to "some embodiments," "an embodiment,"
or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, step, process, or
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characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at
least
one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in some embodiments," "in
an embodiment," or the like, throughout this disclosure are not necessarily
all
referring to the same embodiment and may refer to one or more of the same or
different embodiments.
Various aspects and advantages of the embodiments have been described
where appropriate. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such
aspects or
advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment.
Thus, for example, it should be recognized that the various embodiments may be
carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of
advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other aspects or
advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, "can," "could,"
"might," "may," "e.g.," and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or
otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to
convey
that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include,
certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is
not
generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any
way
required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments
necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without operator input or
prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are
to be
performed in any particular embodiment. No single feature or group of features
is
required for or indispensable to any particular embodiment. The terms
"comprising," "including," "having," and the like are synonymous and are used
inclusively, in an open-ended fashion, and do not exclude additional elements,
features, acts, operations, and so forth. Also, the term "or" is used in its
inclusive
sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used, for example, to
connect a
list of elements, the term "or" means one, some, or all of the elements in the
list.
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The example calculations, simulations, results, graphs, values, and parameters
of
the embodiments described herein are intended to illustrate and not to limit
the
disclosed embodiments. Other embodiments can be configured and/or operated
differently than the illustrative examples described herein,
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