EP2726383B1 - Sachet for foodstuffs, and corresponding cooking or heating method, installation and method for manufacturing a sachet - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to the general technical field of containers in the food field, more particularly food bags intended to contain a dose of food for human and / or animal consumption.

The present invention relates more particularly to the general technical field of bags intended to be introduced into a heating fluid for the transformation of the food inside the bag, in particular bags for cooking or heating cereal grains by absorption of 'water.

The present invention more particularly relates to a food bag for containing a dose of food and to be introduced into a heating fluid to cook or heat said dose of food, said bag comprising a chamber within which is conditioned said dose of food. food and at least one zone of permeability to said heating fluid allowing firstly bringing said heating fluid into contact with said dose of food for cooking or heating and secondly creating, inside said bag , a flow of fluid vapor from the heating fluid during cooking or heating of the food dose.

The present invention also relates to a method for cooking or heating a dose of food contained in a sachet, during which said sachet is introduced into a heating fluid to cook or heat said dose of food, it is contacting said heating fluid with said dose of food to cook or heat it through at least one permeability zone of said bag to said heating fluid, and inside said bag a steam stream of fluid from the heating fluid during cooking of the food dose.

The present invention further relates to a facility for manufacturing a food bag from a film of flexible material.

The present invention finally relates to a method of manufacturing a food bag, during which a film of flexible material is provided.

PRIOR ART

Rice is a widespread cereal crop grown and consumed around the world, particularly in Asian and African countries, where it is often the staple food for people. Its cultivation in paddy fields is common and encountered in many geographical areas and in different climates of the world.

Harvested rice grains, usually called paddy rice, are not directly edible because they still include the outer shell, called the " ball ", which must be removed because it is unfit for consumption. After removal of the ball, the grain of rice obtained is likely to be consumed and is often called full rice or " cargo " rice.

More typically, rice undergoes various treatments, including removing some of the envelopes surrounding the grain of rice at the time of harvest.

The grains of rice cargo or bleached, that is to say whose pericarp has been removed, are intended to be ingested by the man or the animal after being cooked, most often by absorption of water.

It is known to cook the rice grain directly in boiling water, so that the starch it contains gelatinizes, at least in part, and that the grain of rice soften to facilitate its consumption.

There are also cooking bags in which the grains of rice are conditioned and which are intended to be directly immersed in boiling water, for cooking the rice grain inside the cooking bag. These bags are generally made of flexible plastic material and are perforated so as to allow water to penetrate into the pouch for cooking rice.

These rice cooking bags make cooking rice convenient and ergonomic for the user. In particular, they make it easy to drain rice grains.

However, although they clearly facilitate the recovery and draining of the cooked rice, for example in a saucepan filled with boiling water, these bags could be further improved.

Indeed, the rice cooking bags sometimes tend to migrate to the bottom of the container during cooking, and thus to become more difficult to recover for the user. The latter may then be burned with hot water during the recovery of the bag at the end of cooking for its dripping.

In addition, these bags sometimes cause cooking that is not homogeneous at any point of the bag and therefore slight differences in texture between the grains of rice.

It is also known from the document FR-2,028,170 packaging intended to contain frozen food and provided at its lower part with a number of perforations allowing penetration into the packaging of slightly salty hot water which must come into complete contact with the food to be defrosted. The document FR-1 328 086 describes a packaging for dehydrated food soups comprising a bag in the lower part of which is arranged a load of a food substance. The bag in question has in its upper part a series of openings intended to allow the introduction into the said bag of water intended to constitute the food.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objects assigned to the invention are therefore intended to remedy the various disadvantages listed above and to propose a new food bag that allows an optimal, fast and efficient cooking of the food, while ensuring the safety of the user.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new food bag which guarantees a homogeneous cooking of the food at any point of said bag.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new food bag whose configuration is optimal for the circulation of fluids within it.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new food bag that is particularly ergonomic and convenient to use, including that is easy to dive into a heating fluid and remove it.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel food processing bag that uses conventional materials, inexpensive and readily available.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new food bag particularly suitable for cooking cereals, in particular rice.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new method of cooking a dose of food whose steps are practical to implement, fast and effective, and ensure the safety of the user.

Another object of the invention is to propose a novel process for cooking a single dose of food to be used and adapted for cooking cereals, in particular rice.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new facility for making a bag that is convenient and easy to use, and that allows to obtain a cooking bag for food that ensures optimal cooking, fast and effective. 'food, while guaranteeing the safety of the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new facility for manufacturing a bag that is accurate and suitable for the manufacture of cereal pouch, including rice.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new method of manufacturing a sachet whose steps are practical, easy to implement and which make it possible to obtain a sachet which ensures an optimal, rapid and efficient transformation of the sachet. food, while guaranteeing the safety of the user.

The objects assigned to the invention are achieved by means of a food bag containing a dose of food according to the subject of claim 1.

The objects assigned to the invention are also achieved by means of a cooking or heating process according to the subject of claim 8.

The objects assigned to the invention are further achieved by means of a manufacturing facility according to the subject of claim 10.

The objects assigned to the invention are finally achieved by means of a manufacturing method according to the subject of claim 15.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• La figure 1 illustre, selon une vue générale en perspective, un sachet pour aliments conforme à l'invention, destiné à la cuisson de grains de céréales, selon un premier mode de réalisation dans lequel le sachet à une forme sensiblement assimilable à celle d'un tétraèdre.
• La figure 2 illustre, selon une vue générale de face, le sachet pour aliments de la figure 1.
• La figure 3 illustre, selon une vue de face, un sachet pour aliments conforme à l'invention, destiné à la cuisson de grains de céréales, selon un deuxième mode de réalisation dans lequel le sachet à une forme sensiblement assimilable à celle d'un parallélépipède.
• La figure 4 illustre, selon une vue de face, un sachet pour aliments conforme à l'invention, destiné à la cuisson de grains de céréales, selon un troisième mode de réalisation dans lequel le sachet à une forme sensiblement assimilable à celle d'un parallélépipède.
• La figure 5 illustre, selon une vue de face, un sachet pour aliments conforme à l'invention, destiné à la cuisson de grains de céréales, selon un quatrième mode de réalisation dans lequel le sachet à une forme sensiblement assimilable à celle d'un parallélépipède.
• La figure 6 illustre, selon une vue de dessus, un premier mode de réalisation d'un film en matière plastique utilisé pour la fabrication du sachet pour aliments conforme à l'invention et mis en oeuvre dans la machine de fabrication de l'invention illustrée à la figure 9.
• La figure 7 illustre, selon une vue de profil en perspective, un récipient contenant un fluide chauffant ainsi qu'un sachet pour aliments conforme au premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, lorsque de la vapeur de fluide chauffant est retenue dans le sachet et permet la flottaison de ce dernier dans le fluide chauffant.
• La figure 8 illustre, selon une vue en perspective, un sachet pour aliments conforme au premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, lorsque ce dernier a été déchiré pour son ouverture.
• La figure 9 illustre, selon une vue générale en perspective et partiellement éclatée, une installation de fabrication d'un sachet pour aliments conforme au premier mode de réalisation de l'invention.
• La figure 10 illustre, selon une vue en perspective de face, plusieurs sachets pour aliments conformes au premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, lorsqu'ils sont fabriqués industriellement par la machine de fabrication illustrée à la figure 9.
• La figure 11 illustre, selon une vue de face, un film en matière plastique utilisé pour la fabrication d'un sachet pour aliments conforme à l'invention et mis en oeuvre dans la machine de fabrication de l'invention illustrée à la figure 9.
• La figure 12 illustre, selon une vue de dessus, un deuxième mode de réalisation d'un film en matière plastique utilisé pour la fabrication du sachet pour aliments conforme à l'invention et mis en oeuvre dans l'installation de fabrication de l'invention illustrée à la figure 9.
• La figure 13 illustre, selon une vue de dessus, le film en matière plastique de la figure 12 dans lequel apparaissent les lignes de soudure et de découpe mises en oeuvre dans l'installation de l'invention.

Other advantages and objects of the invention will appear in more detail on reading the description which follows, and with the aid of the accompanying drawings provided for purely explanatory and non-limiting purposes, in which:

• The figure 1 illustrates, in a general perspective view, a food bag according to the invention, for the baking of cereal grains, according to a first embodiment wherein the bag has a shape substantially similar to that of a tetrahedron.
• The figure 2 illustrates, according to a general front view, the food bag of the figure 1 .
• The figure 3 illustrates, according to a front view, a food bag according to the invention, for the baking of cereal grains, according to a second embodiment wherein the bag has a shape substantially comparable to that of a parallelepiped.
• The figure 4 illustrates, in a front view, a food bag according to the invention, for the baking of cereal grains, according to a third embodiment wherein the bag has a shape substantially comparable to that of a parallelepiped.
• The figure 5 illustrates, according to a front view, a food bag according to the invention, for the baking of cereal grains, according to a fourth embodiment wherein the bag has a shape substantially comparable to that of a parallelepiped.
• The figure 6 illustrates, in a view from above, a first embodiment of a plastic film used for the manufacture of the food bag according to the invention and used in the manufacturing machine of the invention illustrated in FIG. figure 9 .
• The figure 7 illustrates, in a perspective profile view, a container containing a heating fluid and a food bag according to the first embodiment of the invention, when the heating fluid vapor is retained in the bag and allows the flotation of the latter in the heating fluid.
• The figure 8 illustrates, in a perspective view, a food bag according to the first embodiment of the invention, when the latter has been torn for its opening.
• The figure 9 illustrates, in a general perspective view and partially exploded, an installation for manufacturing a food bag according to the first embodiment of the invention.
• The figure 10 illustrates, according to a perspective front view, several food bags according to the first embodiment of the invention, when manufactured industrially by the manufacturing machine illustrated in FIG. figure 9 .
• The figure 11 illustrates, according to a front view, a plastic film used for the manufacture of a food bag according to the invention and used in the manufacturing machine of the invention illustrated in FIG. figure 9 .
• The figure 12 illustrates, in a view from above, a second embodiment of a plastic film used for the manufacture of the food bag according to the invention and implemented in the manufacturing facility of the invention illustrated in FIG. figure 9 .
• The figure 13 illustrates, in a view from above, the plastic film of the figure 12 in which appear the welding and cutting lines used in the installation of the invention.

BEST MODE OF REALIZING THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a food bag 1 for containing a food dose (not shown). Different embodiments of the pouch 1 of the invention are shown in FIGS. Figures 1 to 5 , in particular a first embodiment in which the sachet 1 has a tetrahedron shape (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) and a second embodiment in which the bag 1 has the shape of a conventional cooking bag (cf. figure 3 ).

The bag 1 of the invention is a closed bag, that is to say a container or a food packaging designed to retain or package within it a predefined quantity of food or food products intended for human consumption and / or animal.

Such a bag 1, which is preferably disposable, that is to say it has a disposable nature, is intended to contain a food dose to be converted by direct contact thereof with a heating fluid 2. The sachet 1 is intended to be introduced into a heating fluid 2 for cooking or heating said dose of food held in said bag 1. In the sense of " heating fluid " 2 is meant a fluid, for example water or another liquid, whose temperature is preferably higher than ambient temperature and which is designed either to transform said food, for example to cook, to precook and / or soften, especially by penetration of the heating fluid 2 by said food, either to simply heat or heat said food by simple contact.

In other words, said bag 1 is designed to allow intake or absorption of liquid by the food contained within it to change their characteristics, allowing an increase in their volume and / or a reduction in their rigidity, especially to facilitate their subsequent consumption.

The cooking or heating of the dose of food in the bag 1 is done in the presence of a heat source, for example in a liquid brought to a boil, such as boiling water. In the sense of " cooking " is preferably meant the transformation of the food dose, in the presence of a fluid, including the at least partial gelatinization of food, for example the gelatinization of the starch they may contain, but also pre-cooking, the end of cooking pre-cooked food, rehydration or the temperature rise of food. Moreover, in the sense of " heating ", it is advantageous to simply increase the temperature of the food, without necessarily leading to a transformation of their intrinsic properties, for example a simple reheating.

The dose of food thus comprises a food product whose porosity and surface characteristics allow it to absorb a quantity of water, to undergo a transformation preferentially baking type. It is a food product advantageously natural, uncooked, unprocessed or having undergone minor transformations, which is subjected, in the bag 1, to a liquid intake intended to modify its characteristics, in particular in order to make it more suitable for human and / or animal consumption.

The feed dose is advantageously also formed by grains of cereal, preferably by grains of rice. The bag 1 of the invention is advantageously a cooking bag to allow the transformation, for example cooking or precooking, of the feed dose formed of rice grain inside said bag 1.

The grains of rice packaged in the bag 1 of the invention are edible for humans and / or animals, and contribute to the food intake of the latter. Rice has the advantage of being an inexpensive grain, accessible, produced and consumed in large quantities. Preferably, the rice grains are of indica type, which has firmness, texture and elasticity characteristics suitable for cooking in the bag 1 of the invention. However, it is conceivable, without departing from the scope of the present invention, to use another type of rice, for example japonica or javanica.

In a preferred embodiment, the feed dose is formed by grains of rice cargo, but it is possible to use also other types of rice grains, for example paddy or blanched, which have been the subject of more or less treatments to remove the different envelopes that surround the grain of rice. Alternatively, it is also conceivable to use a grain from a cereal other than rice, for example from corn, millet or any other cereal capable of being packaged and cooked in the bag 1 of the invention. Optionally, the feed dose comprises a mixture of several cereal grains of different origins for cooking or pre-cooking in the bag 1.

Alternatively, the bag 1 may also contain another type of food, different from the rice or a cereal, insofar as the latter is capable of being cooked by absorption of the heating fluid 2 without leaving the bag 1.

Preferably, the dose of food comprises a fixed quantity of food, which corresponds for example to one or more unit dose (s) of food conventionally ingested by an individual during a meal, the dose unit being substantially between 50 and 150g of raw food, preferably between substantially 90g or 120g.

For the sake of brevity and clarity, we will endeavor to describe in the following description preferentially a sachet 1 for cooking grains of rice.

Said sachet 1 comprises at least one permeability zone 3 to said heating fluid 2 allowing on the one hand bringing said heating fluid 2 into contact with said dose of food to cook or heat it. Thus, the permeability zone 3 advantageously provides an inlet and outlet function of the heating fluid 2 to and from the inside of the bag 1, in order to cook or heat the dose of food by simple contact and / or absorption of heating fluid 2 by the latter. The permeability zone 3 is therefore designed to preferably establish a flow of heating fluid 2 between the inside and the outside of said bag 1 but also inside said bag 1. It is also conceivable that the flow of fluid vapor comprises, at least in part, hot air, for example air brought from the outside at the time of diving of said bag 1 in said heating fluid and heated during cooking.

The sachet 1 according to the invention comprises a chamber 4 within which is conditioned said dose of food. Said chamber 4 has a volume adapted for firstly the creation of said flow of fluid vapor, for example when the fluid 2 has penetrated into said chamber 4 through the permeability zone 3, and secondly the change in the volume of said dose of food during cooking or heating. In other words, the chamber 4 of the bag 1 has an interior volume large enough to accommodate the dose of food, allow the substantially simultaneous establishment of the flow of heating fluid 2 and its associated vapor flow, and allow a possible transformation of the food dose, for example by increasing its volume after cooking by absorbing a certain quantity of heating fluid 2.

The permeability zone 3 also allows the creation, inside said bag 1, of a flow of fluid vapor from the heating fluid 2 during the cooking or heating of the food dose. In other words, the heating fluid 2 which enters said bag 1, at the permeability zone 3, advantageously leads to the formation, preferably by evaporation, of fluid vapor. For example, in the case where the heating fluid 2 is boiling water, there is created within the bag 1 a stream of water vapor, which may optionally be mixed with a stream of hot air advantageously present in the bag 1 before its penetration into the heating fluid 2.

Preferably, the sachet 1 of the invention has a substantially geometric shape, so that the volume of the chamber 4 is sufficient for the creation of the heating fluid flows 2 and the heating fluid vapor 2 within said sachet 1. In particular the shape of the sachet 1 makes it possible to guarantee optimum cooking or heating of the dose of food.

For this purpose and in a first preferred embodiment, the bag 1 has a shape substantially comparable to that of a parallelepiped, as illustrated in FIGS. Figures 3 to 5 of the present invention. Such a parallelepiped shape, similar to that of a substantially flattened cushion, corresponds substantially to that of rice cooking bags conventionally encountered for cooking in the bag 1.

In a second particularly preferred embodiment, the bag 1 has a shape substantially comparable to that of a tetrahedron, as is illustrated in FIGS. Figures 1, 2 and 8 to 10 . This tetrahedral form of the sachet 1 is substantially comparable to that of a pyramid comprising sides 20 or edges 20 of substantially identical length (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) each other. It is also conceivable that the bag 1 has a generally tetrahedral shape, without its sides 20 having an equal length.

In this second embodiment, the chamber 4 of the bag 1 advantageously has a volume greater than that 4 of the pouch 1 in the form of parallelepiped and thus guarantees a circulation volume of the heating fluid 2 and the optimum fluid vapor therein, and sufficient space to contain the increased volume of the food dose during cooking and / or processing. Such pyramid configuration of the bag 1 also allows free circulation of food in the chamber 4 and therefore adequate and optimal contact of each food with the heating fluid 2 for a homogeneous cooking of said food at any point of said bag 1. Indeed , the food advantageously still rest on a surface 21, forming bottom 21 of the bag 1, of substantially flat and triangular shape (cf. figure 1 ).

Alternatively, it is also perfectly conceivable, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the bag has a shape other than those referred to above, for example a form similar to a substantially flat cushion, at least one of the sides is substantially rounded to the outside said bag 1.

In addition, whatever the substantially geometrical shape of the bag 1, it comprises at least three weld lines 11, 12, 13 related to its manufacturing method described below, which advantageously allow delimiting the chamber 4. In particular, the bag 1 comprises an upper weld line 11, a lower weld line 12 and a transverse weld line 13 as shown in particular in FIGS. Figures 1 to 5 .

In these two preferred embodiments, the bag 1 comprises four corners 6 or points 6 which substantially correspond to the four corners 6 of the parallelepiped or the tetrahedron (cf. Figures 1 to 5 ). The corners 6 advantageously delimit the contours of the chamber 4, and are therefore preferably located below the upper weld line 11 and above the lower weld line 12.

Said sachet 1 also comprises at least one impervious zone 5 to the heating fluid 2 for at least partially retaining the flow of fluid vapor inside said sachet 1, in order to allow at least partial emersion of said sachet 1 in the heating fluid 2. The bag 1 thus comprises a zone that is substantially impermeable, impermeable or hermetic to the flow of heating fluid vapor 2 as well as advantageously to the heating fluid 2 and to any other evaporation gas, for example moist hot air . This impervious zone 5 is preferably designed to retain, block or prevent said vapor from leaving said bag 1 and forms a sealed volume of said bag 1. Such a retention of the heating fluid vapor 2 in the permeability zone advantageously causes swelling said bag 1 and consequently causes a rise towards the surface of said heating fluid 2 of the latter in the heating fluid 2, as illustrated in FIG. figure 7 .

Indeed, during cooking or heating, the heating fluid vapor 2 is preferably confined in the impermeability zone 5 and thus exerts a pressure against the wall 5A of the impermeability zone 5, which causes the deformation, by increasing its volume, the latter. Thus, the zone of impermeability of bag 1 makes it possible to trap a part of the fluid vapor, in particular of heating fluid 2 and possibly of hot air, which tends to rise in the heating fluid 2, because of its greater lightness compared to the cooking liquid 2 (for example water).

Preferably, the impermeability zone 5 comprises a surface sufficient for the confinement of the fluid vapor within it to swell the impermeability zone 5 and causes the pouch 1 to emerge on the surface of the heating fluid 2. This zone of impermeability 5 thus provides, preferably, emersion, that is to say the at least partial exit of the bag 1, or even its at least partial flotation, on the surface of said heating fluid 2.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bag 1 comprises a single impermeability zone 5 located on a corner 6 of the bag 1, to allow a rise of the latter in the heating fluid 2 towards the surface of said heating fluid 2 and thus facilitate its recovery by the user. Thus, as illustrated in particular in Figures 1, 2 and 4 , the heating fluid vapor is retained in a single corner 6 of the sealed bag 1 with the fluid vapor, so that the bag 1 emerges, leaves partially, springs or arises, or even under certain conditions floats, on the surface of said heating fluid 2 by this single wedge 6 comprising the impermeability zone 5 (cf. figure 7 ).

In the first and second preferred embodiments of the invention, the impervious zone 5 is located at at least one of the corners 6 of said parallelepiped and / or the tetrahedron, thus preferably in opposition to said permeability zone 3 , that is to say far from the latter. In other words, at least one of the corners 6 or points 6 of said bag 1 is vapor-tight heating fluid 2, as shown in FIGS. Figures 1, 2 , 4 , 9 and 10 , and can therefore be deformed by increasing its volume during the confinement of the fluid vapor within said wedge 6, so as to cause the outlet, at least partially, of the bag 1 from the heating fluid 2.

In the second embodiment of the bag 1 in the form of a tetrahedron, it is possible for the impervious zone 5 to be positioned for example at the four corners 6 of said tetrahedron, so that the bag 1 can go back to the The tetrahedral or pyramidal form of the bag 1 is preferred, insofar as it allows a tip to always be kept out of the heating fluid 2, without interfering with the cooking. food. Indeed, when depositing a sachet 1 of pyramidal or tetrahedral shape in a container, for the purpose of heating or cooking, one side of the bag 1 will come against the bottom of this container. By construction, the bag 1 will extend between this face and a peak-shaped peak 6. This vertex 6 emerges easily out of the water when it at least partially retains said flow of steam. These pyramidal or tetrahedral shapes are therefore particularly suitable for presenting an emerging zone when the sachet 1 is introduced into the heating fluid. This substantially pyramidal configuration of the bag 1 also promotes the gripping of the bag 1 by the user, the gripping means 9 being moreover advantageously close to the wedge or point 6 comprising the impervious zone 5 (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ). This

Alternatively, it is also possible for the impervious zone 5 to be located above the upper weld line 11, as illustrated in FIG. figure 5 preferably between the partially open weld line 11 for circulating the fluid vapor and a second upper weld line 11 A. In this advantageous embodiment, only the zone 11 B is vapor-tight and can therefore retain the latter. such that at the time of cooking, a vapor flow is confined in the zone 11B and thus causes the swelling of the latter and thus the emersion, at least partial, or even the flotation under certain conditions, of the bag 1 in the heating fluid 2.

The zone 11 B thus advantageously forms, in the presence of fluid vapor within it, an adjacent and contiguous mini bag of the main bag 1 by the upper weld line 11 partly hollowed out in the form of a hollow duct 11 C, so as to put in communication the zone 11B forming a mini bag with the bag 1, in particular with the chamber 4. In fact, under the effect of heat, during cooking, the fluid vapor emerges from the chamber 4 of the bag 1 and passes through the hollow conduit 11C in the mini bag 11 B, so as to force the latter to inflate to drive said bag 1 to the surface of the heating fluid 2. Hot air, brought for example from the outside when the dipping of the bag 1 in the heating fluid 2 may also be preferentially trapped in the zone 11B forming a mini bag of swelling which causes the emersion of said bag 1 during cooking.

In this particular embodiment, perfectly adaptable to the tetrahedral shape of the bag 1, the zone 11B forms a balloon, a mini bag or inflatable cushion, of substantially geometrical shape, designed on the one hand to deform in volume and to inflate during the retention of fluid vapor within it, and secondly cause the emergence or floating of the bag 1 out of the heating fluid 2.

Thus, the impermeability zone 5 advantageously comprises different shapes or positions in the bag 1, so as to advantageously fulfill its function of retaining the fluid vapor within it, while allowing sufficient heating fluid 2 to enter the sachet 1 to allow optimal cooking of food and while guaranteeing a correct draining of food at the end of cooking

Preferably, the permeability zone 3 comprises at least one perforation 7 designed to allow said heating fluid 2 to come into contact with said dose. food. Preferably, the permeability zone 3 comprises a plurality of perforations 7 which are formed on a portion of the surface 8 of said bag 1 situated in opposition to said impermeability zone 5, as illustrated for example in FIGS. Figures 1, 2 and 4 .

The perforations 7 (cf. Figures 1 to 5 ) are designed to allow sufficient entry and exit of heating fluid 2, for a fast, optimal and homogeneous cooking of all the food contained in the bag 1, and then for quick and simple draining of food at the end of cooking. These perforations 7 also allow a simple contact of the heating medium 2 with the food, for example for the purpose of heating or reheating. The perforations 7 advantageously have a substantially circular or geometric shape, are preferably separated from each other by a distance of about 2 mm and have a diameter substantially smaller than that of the foodstuffs, in particular grains of rice, so as to ensure the passage of the heating fluid 2 or steam of heating fluid, while retaining said food in the chamber 4 of said bag 1.

The positioning of the perforations 7 and their density is preferably regular and uniformly distributed over the permeability zone 3, at the surface 8 of said sachet 1, to guarantee the functions of said permeability zone 3.

In a particularly preferred manner, the permeability zone 3 represents at least substantially 30% of the surface 8 of said bag 1, advantageously between 50 and 90% of said surface 8, and particularly preferably at least approximately 70% of said surface 8. The spatial distribution of said permeability zone 3 and impermeability zone 5 on said sachet 1 makes it possible in particular to guarantee the optimal cooking of the food 3 and the effective emersion of said sachet 1 at the end of cooking, to facilitate its recovery by the user. .

Thus, said permeability zone 3 and imperviousness zone 5 are preferably substantially opposed to said bag 1 in order to guarantee their respective functions. Preferably, the perforations 7 are for this purpose much more numerous on the part of the permeability zone 3 furthest from the impermeability zone 5, in particular near the triangular bottom 21 of the tetrahedral-shaped bag 1 (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) or the lower end close to the lower sealing line 12 of the bag 1 in the form of a cushion (cf. figure 3 to 5 ). Such spatial configuration and distribution of the perforations 7 on the bag 1 advantageously guarantee optimum cooking of food by a massive inlet of heating fluid 2 in the low position of the bag 1, for example when it rests on its bottom 21 or on its weld line lower 12, and a confinement of the vapor in the high position of the bag 1, close to its upper weld line 11, or its upper corners 6 in the impermeability zone 5.

Advantageously, the bag 1 of the invention comprises at least one gripping means 9 intended to facilitate removal of said bag 1 from the heating fluid 2. The gripping means 9 advantageously comprises at least one slot 10 forming a gripping loop and provided on the surface 8 of said bag 1, preferably positioned parallel to and above the upper weld line 11 of said bag 1. This slot 10, whose length is preferably between 2 and 5 cm, preferably between 3 and 4 cm, allows the introduction of a kitchen utensil, for example a fork, to facilitate the recovery of the bag 1 in the heating fluid 2 and its removal from the latter.

It is also conceivable that the bag 1 comprises for example several gripping means 9 disposed near its three weld lines 11, 12, 13 especially when it has a pyramidal or tetrahedral shape (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ), so as to facilitate the recovery of the bag 1 regardless of its position. The gripping means 9 is advantageously provided near the impervious zone 5 of the bag 1, so as to facilitate the recovery of the bag 1 at its part for the user (cf. figure 7 ).

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the bag 1 of the invention further comprises at least one opening means 23 provided on the surface 8 of said bag 1 and designed to facilitate the opening of said bag 1. Preferably, the means opening 23 comprises a tear initiation 14, in the form for example of a primer tab 14 (cf. Figures 1, 2 and 4 ), designed to allow three-dimensional opening of said bag 1 according to the extrusion wire of the material of said bag 1. Indeed, the tear primer 14 is preferably positioned near one of the edges 20 forming the edge of the bag 1 and / or at least one of the weld lines 11, 12, 13. It advantageously leads to the oriented tearing of the bag 1 according to a triangular opening, illustrated in FIG. figure 8 , thanks in particular to the optimal orientation of said tear primer 14 according to the molecular orientation of the constituent material of said bag 1, that is to say in the direction of the constituent fibers of said material which forms the extrusion wire.

Advantageously, the opening means 23, and more particularly the tearing primer 14, allows a convenient, simple and rapid tearing of the bag 1 by the user, to quickly remove the food content of the bag 1. In the In the case of a sachet 1 of tetrahedral shape, the tearing primer 14, positioned at the center of the upper weld line 11, allows an inverted " V " opening (cf. figure 8 ), for a three-dimensional opening, wide and facilitated said bag 1, and thus a practical and ergonomic recovery of food cooked within said bag 1. Thus, the tear initiation 14 allows linear priming of the cut which allows a progressive division in two tear lines 14A, 14B, preferably triangular and created by a specific orientation of the material film in which the bag 1 is made, according to the tearing direction arrows 14C, 14D.

Thus, the tear initiation 14 preferably comprises two tabs 14A, 14B (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ) forming opening primers and obtained by cutting the zone of the free edge 20 of the bag 1, for example above the upper weld line 11. This tear primer 14 thus allows easy gripping of the two tabs 14A, 14B in order to tear the film constituting the bag 1 for the opening of the latter by separation and removal of the two tabs 14A, 14B. It thus facilitates the wide and rapid opening of the bag 1 by the user, for example after cooking the dose of food, to allow easy release of the dose of cooked food. The tear primer 14 is advantageously provided near the weld line 11, 12, 13 closest to the impervious zone 5, preferably close to the transverse weld line 13 and at the center of the upper weld line 11 of said bag 1 (cf. figure 1 and 2 ), so as to facilitate the opening of the bag 1 after its recovery in the cooking water.

It is also perfectly conceivable that said bag 1 preferably comprises several opening means 23, especially if the bag 1 comprises several inflatable corners 6.

Preferably, the bag 1 is made of a flexible material designed to mechanically resist an increase in the volume of said bag 1 at the impervious zone 5, that is to say in particular that it is designed not to tearing and / or cracking during the retention of the heating fluid vapor in the impervious zone 5. The bag 1 is advantageously made of a plastic material, preferably high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

The bag 1 is therefore preferably made of a flexible material designed to withstand a temperature greater than substantially 100 ° C, especially if the heating fluid 2 is boiling water. In particular, said material is also capable of retaining the heating fluid vapor 2 in the impermeability zone 5 and designed to withstand the deformation of this impermeability zone 5 when heating fluid vapor is confined within this zone. last.

Therefore, the bag 1 of the invention has a particularly advantageous spatial configuration to promote optimal cooking rice grains within it. This sachet 1 also includes its own characteristics which guarantee its practical, safe and rapid recovery by the user in the heating fluid 2, in particular thanks to the presence of the impervious zone 5 which swells and allows the sachet 1 to emerge, possibly even under certain conditions to float on the surface of the heating fluid 2, during cooking.

The bag 1 is also particularly practical and ergonomic to use, thanks to the combination of its inflatable wedge 6 with its gripping means 9 and its opening means 23.

The present invention also relates to a method for cooking or heating a dose of food contained in a bag 1 according to that previously described. It is preferentially a cooking, heating or reheating for cereal grains, for example grains of rice, which form the feed dose.

During the process of the invention, said sachet 1 is introduced into a heating fluid 2 to cook or heat said dose of food. The heating fluid 2 is in accordance with that previously described, for example boiling water, and preferably contained in a container, for example a pan 50 (cf. figure 7 ). The user takes the bag 1 by hand and deposits it in the heating fluid 2, advantageously heated to boiling.

The heating fluid 2 is brought into contact with said dose of food for cooking or heating by means of at least one permeability zone 3 of said sachet 1 to said heating fluid 2. In particular, the heating fluid 2 passes to through the permeability zone 3, which advantageously comprises perforations 7 conforming to those previously described.

Within said bag 1, a flow of fluid vapor is created from the heating fluid 2 during cooking or heating of the food dose. As referred to above, the flow of fluid vapor advantageously comprises an evaporation gas such as water vapor, in the case of a heating fluid 2 comprising water, and / or hot air. The fluid vapor is for example generated on the one hand by the boiling water which enters the bag 1 through the perforations 7, and on the other hand by the rice (or the dose of food) which also produces a release of heat and water vapor during cooking.

At least partially, said flow of fluid vapor is retained inside said bag 1, at at least one impermeability zone 5 of the bag 1 to said heating fluid 2, in order to allow at least partial emersion of the 1 preferably in the heating fluid 2. Preferably, the impervious zone 5 is in accordance with that referred to above and designed in particular to confine the fluid vapor within it, so that the bag 1 undergoes deformation, by swelling, at level of the impervious zone 5 and is therefore driven towards the surface of the heating fluid 2.

Thus, the cooking or heating method of the invention advantageously comprises an inflation operation of the impermeability zone 5 of said sachet 1 when retaining fluid vapor flow inside said sachet 1, at the level of said impervious zone 5. Preferably, the inflation operation occurs at a corner 6 of said bag 1, especially when the latter has a shape substantially similar to that of a tetrahedron (cf. figure 1 and 2 ) or that of a substantially parallelepipedal cushion (cf. figure 3 to 5 ).

Preferably, during cooking or heating, a flow of vapor fluid within said bag 1 is established, which tends to move from the permeability zone 3, preferably located near the weld line. bottom 12 of said bag 1, in the direction of the impervious zone 5, preferably located near the top weld line 11. The heating fluid 2 therefore enters the bag 1 by the permeability zone 3 and thus advantageously creates inside said bag 1 a stream of fluid vapor which tends to rise vertically towards the impermeability zone 5 in which it is blocked. The fluid vapor retained in the zone of impermeability 5 preferably causes deformation of the latter in swelling and thus allows the emersion of the bag 1 to the surface of the heating fluid 2, or to some extent the partial flotation of said bag 1 in said fluid 2.

Thus, the sachet 1 is preferentially introduced by its permeability zone 3, preferably located in opposition to said impermeability zone 5 (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ), in the heating fluid 2, so that water can penetrate quickly and efficiently into the chamber 4 of said bag 1.

The cooking or heating process also preferably comprises an operation of absorbing said heating fluid 2 by said dose of food formed by grains of cereal, preferably rice grains. This absorption operation advantageously allows the cooking or pre-cooking of food, by modifying their properties. Once the heating fluid 2, for example water brought to a boil, has entered the chamber 4 of the bag 1, the heating fluid 2 comes into contact with the food, the porosity of which allows a water intake and therefore a modification of their properties and their texture.

At the end of cooking, the user retrieves the sachet 1 which has emerged, at least partially, at its impervious zone 5, for example by means of a fork that it introduces into the gripping means 9 as previously described.

This cooking or heating method has the advantage of being particularly simple to achieve for the user who only has to deposit said bag 1 in the heating fluid 2, wait for the cooking of the dose of food (or the simple heating) and the rise of the bag 1 to the surface, to then simply and safely recover the bag 1 to take it out of the heating fluid 2.

In addition, with the pyramidal or tetrahedral configuration of the bag 1 in which one of the corners 6 comprises the impervious zone 5, this process guarantees an optimal and homogeneous cooking of the grains of rice at any point of the bag 1, while allowing an exit secure bag 1 out of boiling water at the end of cooking thanks to the floating bag. The pyramidal or tetrahedral configuration of the bag 1 makes it possible in particular to ensure that a tip 6 remains out of the heating fluid 2 during the entire cooking cycle.

The present invention also relates to an installation for manufacturing a sachet 1 for food complies with that referred to above.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, illustrated in FIG. figure 9 , the manufacturing facility 30 of the invention is an installation for the production of pouches 1 for cooking or heating grains of cereals, preferably rice grains, in particular bags 1 of a shape substantially comparable to that of a tetrahedron (cf. Figures 1 and 2 ). Alternatively, however, it is conceivable that the installation 30 of the invention produces pouches 1 of substantially similar shape to that of a parallelepiped (cf. Figures 3 to 5 ) or any other geometric form.

The manufacturing facility 30 is designed for the manufacture of the bags 1 from a film of flexible material 32. This film of flexible material 32 is in accordance with that described for the bag 1 presented above. This film may be blank at the entrance of the manufacturing facility 30.

Said installation 30 comprises a tool (not shown) for manufacturing said permeability zone 3 of said bag 1.

Said installation 30 further comprises a system for detecting said permeability zone 5, so as to also arrange, in the vicinity of said permeability zone 3, at least one impervious zone 5 in said sachet 1.

Preferably, the installation 30 also comprises a shaping tool 34 of said bag 1, by welding and cutting flexible material film 32, near said permeability zone 3, in a configuration compatible with a retaining function. the heating fluid vapor 2, so as to obtain said impermeability zone 5. Such a configuration ensures in particular an emersion, at least in part, of the bag 1 in the heating fluid 2, when the fluid vapor is trapped in the zone impermeability 5.

The shaping means 34 of the installation 30 is advantageously designed to shape said film 32, in order to obtain said bag 1, preferably in its preferred pyramidal form. The shaping means 34, as illustrated by way of example in figure 9 , comprises various assembly parts (exploded), including welding ramps 35, 36 intended to weld said bag 1 on the weld lines 11, 12 present on the film 32. Preferably for this mode of realization, the welding ramps 35, 36 forming jaws are associated in pairs to come weld along the main extension axis (YY ') and then along the main extension axis (ZZ') of said installation 30 (cf. . figure 9 ).

Preferably, said installation 30 comprises at least one conveying tool (not shown) of said plastic film 32, said conveying tool being disposed between said tool for manufacturing the permeability zone 3 and said tool for shaping said bag 1 in order to manufacture the impervious zone 5.

In other words, in a first embodiment, the installation 30 comprises tools, in particular perforation and shaping tools, to manufacture the permeability zone 3 and arrange the impervious zone 5, which are arranged at within the same production chain, in which these different tools are linked between they in particular by said conveying means. In this embodiment, the conveying means advantageously makes it possible to transport the flexible material film 32 of the tool to manufacture the permeability zone 3 to the tool in order to shape the bag 1 so as to dispose the zone of impermeability 5.

Alternatively, in a second embodiment, the tools for manufacturing the permeability zones 3 and for shaping the bag 1 in order to manufacture the impervious zone 5 of the installation 30 are located in separate locations, in chains For example, in one or more separate production plants, for example in two geographically separate production sites, one manufacturer patches the permeability zone 3 on said flexible material film 32 and supplies the second said at least partially permeable film 32. In this second embodiment, the conveying means comprises, for example, a means of transport between the two production sites and a means for feeding the flexible material film 32 to said tool for shaping the film 32 and thus making the zone impermeability 5.

The film 32, of substantially rectangular shape in the case of a tetrahedral or parallelepiped bag 1, is made of plastic material, preferably high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

Preferably, said tool for manufacturing at least one permeability zone 3 comprises a perforation tool for piercing a portion of the surface 8 of said flexible material film 32, which is preferably located in opposition to said impermeability zone 5, that is to say, away from the zone of the film 32 reserved for the manufacture of the impervious zone 5. Preferably, said permeability zone 3 is in conformity with that described above, that is to say designed for allow free circulation of the heating fluid 2 in the bag 1.

Preferably, this perforation tool is designed to pierce the film 32, in order to make a set of perforations 7 on the surface 8 of said film 32 and thus create said permeability zone 3 of said sachet 1.

For this purpose, the perforation tool comprises in particular a plurality of needles (not shown) designed to perforate said film of flexible material 32, in order to create said permeability zone 3. Preferably, said needles are adapted to drill precisely said film 32 at the precise location where the permeability zone 3 of the bag 1 is positioned. Advantageously, the needles are fixed on the perforation tool, so as to extend substantially perpendicular to said film 32, and to marry the contours of the impervious zone 5, for example if it has a substantially rounded shape or straight lines (cf. Figures 1, 2 , 6 , 10 to 13 ).

In a particularly preferred embodiment, as illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 the plastic film 32 is perforated so that the zones of impermeability 5M, 5N of two bags 1, connected to one another at a cutting line 80 and two welding lines 11 on said film 32, have a substantially hexagonal shape extending astride the cutting line 80 and the weld lines 11 parallel to each other. The configuration of the perforations 7 thus induced makes it possible to form a zone of impermeability (for each sachet 1) of substantially hexagonal shape, advantageously leading to obtaining tetrahedral sachets 1, a copy of which is illustrated in FIGS. Figures 1 and 2 .

Alternatively, it is also conceivable that said perforations 7 are obtained by a tool or a different method of perforation, for example by a laser or a micro / macro electrostatic discharge, this list is not exhaustive.

Thus, once the perforation tool has created the permeability zone 3 on said film 32, the latter is brought to the shaping tool of the bag 1 for the manufacture of the impervious zone 5, either by simple conveying when the entire production line of said bag 1 is located on the same production site either by transport and then conveying.

For this purpose, said installation 30 comprises a detection system (not shown) of said permeability zone 3, which makes it possible to analyze the exact positioning of the permeability zone 3 on the film of flexible material 32, in order to ensure a optimal shaping of said bag 1, for example by welding and cutting said film 32, so as to obtain the impervious zone 5 at the desired location of said bag 1, preferably at one of its corners 6.

Advantageously, said detection system comprises at least one camera and / or a set of pneumatic sensors (not shown) for determining said permeability zone 3, in particular in relation to the desired positioning for said zone of impermeability. collected by the detection system 38 are advantageously processed by a computer system.

Said tool for manufacturing at least one impervious zone 5 comprises in particular a tool for calibrating said zones of permeability 3 and of impermeability 5, in order to obtain an optimal configuration, preferably a pyramidal configuration, of said sachet 1, with the zone d impermeability located in at least one corner 6 of the bag 1. For example, the installation 30 is designed to calculate the pitch of the unwinder of the film 32 to allow a proper positioning of said permeability areas 3 and impermeability 5 on said film 32.

Preferably, the tool for manufacturing at least one impervious zone 5, as partially illustrated in FIG. figure 9 , comprises a main piece 31 in the form of a tube 31 within which a film of flexible material 32 in which the bags 1 are manufactured. The tube 31 thus preferably plays the role of shaper 31 of said film 32, in which the latter is placed. in the form of sachets 1, said film 32 continuously moving or not at said tube 31. Preferably, said detection system is provided in the installation 30 upstream of the tube 31 or close thereto, by example before the entry of said film 32 into said tube 31, after the manufacture of said permeability zone 3.

The film 32 is therefore advantageously designed for the production of a series of unformulated bags 1, for example not separated from each other, said bags 1 being positioned head-to-tail, assembled in pairs, along the film 32 so that the zones of imperviousness of two contiguous sachets 1 are close to each other (cf. figures 6 and 11 to 13 ). Such a configuration makes it easier to manufacture the bags 1, for example by promoting an adequate detection of the impervious zone 5 of the bag 1 and thus optimizes the assembly of the latter.

The tool for manufacturing at least one impervious zone 5 comprises in particular a unwinder designed to move the film 32 in the tube 31 according to the direction of the arrow 33, such that said tube 31 is continuously fed with film 32. Preferably, as shown in FIGS. figures 6 and 11 the film 32 comprises zones of permeability 3, zones of impermeability 5, and lines of welds 11, 12, in accordance with those previously described.

Once the film 32 is pierced with perforations 7, distributed homogeneously over the permeability zone 3 of said bag 1, the film 32 is advantageously positioned in the tube 31.

In a preferred embodiment, said installation 30, more particularly the tool for manufacturing at least one impervious zone 5 illustrated in FIG. figure 9 , in particular comprises a vertical displacement means 37, along the main extension axis (XX '), said welding ramps 35, 36, to ensure two levels of welding on said bag 1 and to obtain the shape tetrahedral of the latter. Indeed, the welding ramps 35 are for example designed to ensure the welding of the bag 1 on the lower welding line 12 of said bag 1 along the axis (ZZ '), while the welding ramps 36 are designed for them to ensure the welding of the bag 1 on the upper weld line 11 of said bag 1 along the axis (YY '). The vertical displacement means 37 thus advantageously makes it possible to adjust the height of the ramps 35, 36 to the continuous movement of the film 31 on the shaper (tube 31) relative to the weld lines 11, 12 of said bag 1.

Said manufacturing facility 30 of the invention preferably comprises a filling tool 40 of said sachet 1 shaped with a feed dose formed by grains of cereal, preferably rice grains. Preferably, the filling tool 40 makes it possible to introduce the feed dose into the partially welded film 32, before the latter is completely shaped and welded in the form of the bag 1.

The installation 30 finally comprises a cutting tool 41, preferably associated with the welding ramps 35, 36, so as to cut said bag 1 between said weld lines 11, 12, after welding by said ramps 35, 36 and after filling. by the filling tool 40.

Thus, the manufacturing facility 30 of the invention advantageously makes it possible to design pouches 1 for cooking or heating cereal grains, preferably rice grains, having an original shape, for example tetrahedral, from a film of flexible material, for example plastic. It also makes it possible to manufacture in a simple and optimal manner zones of permeability 3 and impermeability of said bag 1, and to position them spatially on said bag 1, so that they can perform their function in the latter, in particular in terms of cooking or heating food and emersion of the bag 1 in the heating fluid 2, especially on the surface of the latter, to facilitate the recovery of said bag 1.

The present invention finally relates to a method of manufacturing a sachet 1 for food complies with that described above, during which there is provided a film of flexible material 32, preferably in accordance with that described above and used in the installation of manufacture 30.

The method according to the invention comprises a step of manufacturing at least one permeability zone 3 in said flexible material film 32. Advantageously, the permeability zone 3 is permeable to a heating fluid 2 as previously described and represents only a fraction of the surface 8 of said film 32, such that the latter has a partial permeability to said heating fluid 2. This fabrication is in accordance with that carried out by the manufacturing installation 30 described above. The manufacturing step may, however, be carried out in a specialized film perforation unit which is not included in the manufacturing facility 30, but located in another geographical location. In other words, the method according to the invention covers situations in which the step of manufacturing said at least one permeability zone 3 is carried out in a geographical location different from the place where the rest of the other steps of the process are carried out.

This manufacturing step of the permeability zone 3 advantageously comprises a perforation operation of a portion of the film of flexible material 32, which is preferably located in opposition to said impermeability zone 5, during which needles or a laser tool a perforation tool (not shown) pierce said film 32 to create perforations 7, as detailed above.

Then, the film comprising said permeability zone 3 which has been manufactured in the preceding step is conveyed, during a conveying step, to a shaping tool 34. This displacement can be minimal and for example implemented by a unwinder of the film of flexible material 32. But, this displacement can be equivalent to a transport if the manufacturing steps of permeability and shaping zones are carried out on different sites, as has been specified previously.

The method according to the invention then comprises a shaping step of the bag 1. During this step, said permeability zone 3, that is to say its geometric position, is firstly detected. The information collected during this detection then makes it possible to format the sachet 1 in an optimal manner. This information can advantageously be processed electronically or electronically to effect formatting at a given place and time, as described above.

Thus, during the manufacturing process of the invention, said permeability zone 3 is detected, so as to form said film of flexible material 32 in a configuration compatible with a function of retaining a heating medium vapor 2 to obtain, in the vicinity of said permeability zone 3, an impermeability zone 5 to said heating fluid 2.

In other words, the bag 1 is shaped so as to produce a zone of impermeability in a configuration compatible with a function of retaining a heating fluid vapor 2.

Said manufacturing method comprises a step of manufacturing at least one permeability zone 3 in said flexible material film 32 and a step of conveying said plastic film 32 to the shaping step of said flexible material film 32 to obtain said impermeability zone 5.

In particular, said impervious zone 5 is designed to allow at least partial emersion of the bag 1 to the surface of said heating fluid 2, when the heating fluid vapor is retained within it. Preferably, the said bag 1 is shaped by welding and cutting in the vicinity of the impervious zone 5 of the bag 1.

This step of shaping the film 32, like most of the steps of the manufacturing process, is preferably performed by the above-mentioned manufacturing facility 30.

In the course of this process, said shaped bag 1 is preferably filled with a feed dose formed by grains of cereal, preferably rice grains.

Preferably, this method makes it possible to obtain a sachet 1 of tetrahedral shape, in accordance with that illustrated in FIGS. Figures 1, 2 and 9 for example, thanks in particular to the use of the manufacturing facility 30.

This manufacturing process therefore has the advantage of enabling a pouch 1 according to the invention to be obtained rapidly, simply and optimally, having, for its main characteristics, the presence of a zone of permeability 3 which allows the heating fluid 2 for cooking or heating food and a zone of impermeability which retains the heating fluid vapor 2 to allow the emersion or even the at least partial flotation of said sachet 1, and a particular geometric shape, especially in the form of a tetrahedron, which promotes excellent circulation of fluids and foods within the bag 1 for perfect cooking of food.

The bag 1 obtained by this method thus has the advantage of including one or more inflatable zone (s) on the bag 1, to allow surprisingly and unexpectedly at least partial emersion of said bag 1 to the surface of the heating fluid 2 , or even its flotation on the surface of the latter, which significantly promotes its secure recovery by the user and thus facilitates the general use of a bag 1 cooking.

POSSIBILITY OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

The invention finds its industrial application in the design, manufacture and production of bags for cooking or heating a dose of food.

Claims (18)

1. Pouch (1) containing a portion of foodstuffs intended to be introduced into a heating fluid (2) in order to cook or heat said portion of foodstuffs that the pouch (1) is designed to hold in it, said foodstuffs being designed so as to increase in volume by taking on or absorbing heating fluid, said pouch (1) comprising a chamber (4) in which said portion of foodstuffs is packaged and at least one zone (3) which is permeable to said heating fluid (2), firstly enabling said heating fluid (2) to be put in contact with said portion of foodstuffs to cook it or heat it inside the pouch (1) and secondly allowing the creation, inside said pouch (1), of a flow of fluid vapour from the heating fluid (2) during the cooking or heating of the portion of foodstuffs, said pouch (1) being characterised in that it comprises at least one zone (5) which is impermeable to the heating fluid (2) in order at least partially to retain the flow of fluid vapour inside said pouch (1), and in that said chamber has a volume suitable for creating said flow of fluid vapour in order to allow an at least partial emersion of said pouch (1) in the heating fluid (2), said volume also being suitable for modifying the volume of said portion of foodstuffs during cooking or heating, said impermeability zone (5) having a sufficient surface area for the confinement of the fluid vapour in it to allow swelling of the impermeability zone (5) caused by the heating-fluid vapour and to entrain said pouch (1) in emersion on the surface of the heating fluid (2).
2. Pouch (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the permeability zone (3) comprises a plurality of perforations (7) that are provided on a part of the surface (8) of said pouch (1), the perforations (7) being designed to enable said heating fluid (2) to be put in contact with said portion of foodstuffs.
3. Pouch (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said permeability zone (3) represents at least approximately 30% of the surface area (8) of said pouch (1), advantageously between 50% and 90% of said surface area (8), and particularly preferably at least approximately 70% of said surface area (8).
4. Pouch (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it has a form substantially assimilatable to that of a parallelepiped or to that of a tetrahedron, the impermeability zone (5) being situated at at least one of the corners (6) of said parallelepiped and/or of said tetrahedron.
5. Pouch (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that it comprises a single impermeability zone (5) situated on a corner (6) of the pouch (1), the heating-fluid vapour being thus retained in a single corner (6) of the pouch (1) which is impermeable to the fluid vapour.
6. Pouch (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it comprises at least one opening means (23) provided on the surface (8) of said pouch (1), said opening means (23) comprising an incipient tear (14) designed to allow three-dimensional opening of said pouch (1) along the extrusion line of the material of said pouch(1).
7. Pouch (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the portion of foodstuffs is formed by cereal grains, preferably rice grains.
8. Method for cooking or heating a portion of foodstuffs contained in a pouch (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, during which said pouch (1) is introduced into a heating fluid (2) for cooking or heating said portion of foodstuffs, said heating fluid (2) is put in contact with said portion of foodstuffs in order to cook it or heat it by means of at least one zone (3) of said pouch (1) that is permeable to said heating fluid (2), and, inside said pouch (1), a flow of fluid vapour from the heating fluid (2) is created during the cooking or heating of the portion of foodstuffs, said method being characterised in that said flow of fluid vapour is at least partially retained inside said pouch (1), at at least one zone (5) of the pouch (1) that is impermeable to said heating fluid (2), to allow at least partial emersion of the pouch (1) in the heating fluid (2).
9. Cooking or heating method according to claim 8, characterised in that it comprises an operation of swelling of the impermeability zone (5) of said pouch (1) when the flow of fluid vapour is retained inside said pouch (1).
10. Installation (30) for manufacturing, from a film of flexible material, a pouch (1) for foodstuffs according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that it comprises:

    - a tool for fabricating said permeability zone (3) of said pouch (1),

    - a tool for forming said film of flexible material in order to obtain said pouch (1),

    - a system for detecting said permeability zone (3) on said film, so as to form said impermeability zone (5) in said pouch close to said permeability zone (3) in accordance with a configuration such that said pouch will fulfil a function of retaining A heating-fluid vapour.
11. Installation (30) for fabricating a pouch (1) according to claim 10, characterised in that it comprises a tool (34) for forming said pouch (1), by welding and cutting the film of flexible material (32), close to said permeability zone (3), in a configuration which is compatible with a function of retaining vapour of a heating fluid (2), so as to obtain said impermeability zone (5).
12. Installation (30) for manufacturing a pouch (1) according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that said tool for fabricating at least one permeability zone (3) comprises a perforation tool for piercing part of the surface (8) of said film of flexible material (32).
13. Installation (30) for fabricating a pouch (1) according to claim 12, characterised in that the perforation tool comprises a plurality of needles designed to perforate said film of flexible material (32) with a view to creating said permeability zone (3).
14. Installation (30) for fabricating a pouch (1) according to one of claims 10 to 13, characterised in that said detection system comprises at least one camera and/or a set of pneumatic sensors for determining said permeability zone (3).
15. Method for fabricating a pouch (1) for foodstuffs according to one of claims 1 to 7, during which a film of flexible material (32) is supplied, said method being characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

    - a step of fabricating at least one permeability zone (3) in said film of flexible material,

    - a step of conveying said film of flexible material,

    - a step of forming said film of flexible material (32) in order to obtain said pouch with said permeability zone and said impermeability zone (5), a step during which said permeability zone (3) is detected on said film so as to form said flexible film (32) according to a configuration such that said pouch will fulfil a function of retaining a heating-fluid vapour (2).
16. Fabrication method according to claim 15, characterised in that said step of fabricating the permeability zone (3) comprises an operation of perforating a part of the film of flexible material (32) which is situated opposite said impermeability zone (5).
17. Fabrication method according to one of claims 15 or 16, characterised in that said film of flexible material (32) is formed by welding and cutting close to said impermeability zone (5).
18. Fabrication method according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterised in that said formed pouch (1) is filled with a portion of foodstuffs formed by cereal grains, preferably by grains of rice.

Images