Patent ID: 6964145
Filing Date: 2005-11-15
Classification: A23G,B65B,B65D

Abstract:
1. A process for packaging a food product comprising: a) advancing a base web of thermoformable material to a forming station and thermoforming a portion of the web at the forming station into at least one pot; and b) transferring the web with formed pot to a filling station and filling the pot with the food product; at the same time c) advancing a top web to a punching station and punching at least one product dispensing aperture in the top web; and thereafter conducting the further steps of d) bringing the base and top webs together in register so that an area of top web defining a lid and having the punched aperture therein overlies a mouth of a filled pot and sealing the lid to the pot to form a food package; e) advancing the package to a cooling chamber and holding the package suspended therein until the product in the package has solidified; and f) fixing a sealing member over the aperture at any point after step c.