DISPOSABLE ARTICLE FOR USE IN COOKING FOODSTUFFS

Abstract: A disposable article for supporting meat and other foodstuffs during a cooking process. The article is in the form of a mat comprising an upper perforated sheet of metal foil (1), a bottom non-perforated sheet of metal foil (not shown), an intermediate specially supporting layer of heat resistant material (not shown) and sealed edges (2).

Description: DESCRIPTION ~r Title : DISPOSABLE ARTICLE FOR USE IN COOKING FOODSTUFFS 5 The present invention is concerned with a disposable article for use in cooking food. More particularly it relates to a disposable article for use in the grilling or roasting of meat and other foodstuffs. 10 At present the appliances used to support meat and other foodstuffs whilst they are being grilled or roasted require considerable effort to scour and clean after the cooking process. The ' present invention either totally or substantially eliminates the cleaning effort 15 subsequent to such grilling or roasting. The present invention provides an article for supporting meat and other foodstuffs during a cooking process, said article being in the form of a mat comprised of two superimposed sheets of metal foil forming the top 20 and bottom of the mat, with one or more intermediate layers of heat resistant material therebetween, the top sheets of metal foil being provided- with perforations or holes, and the intermediate layer or layers of heat resistant material acting to support the top sheet of metal 25 foil in spaced relationship to the bottom non-perforated sheet of metal foil. In a preferred form of the invention there is provided a mat comprising an assembly of three super¬ imposed sheets of aluminium foil, the upper sheet being 30 provided with holes or slits and the intermediate sheet being deformed from its plane by being crinkled, or being & provided with dimples, corrugations or the like in order to maintain a spaced relationship between the top and the bottom sheets. Preferably the deformed intermediate 35 sheets is also provided with perforations or holes in the OMPI same manner as the upper sheet. Preferably the intermediate sheet does not extend to cover the whole area of the top and bottom sheets, leaving a margin around the periphery where the top and bottom sheets of aluminium foil are sealed by folding, crimping or some other similar means or process. Such sealed area around the periphery may be bent upwards to form a barrier at the periphery which assists in containing any material which may flow off the top surface during cooking. It will be readily appreciated that when the article forming this invention is placed on the normal support for the griller in a cooking appliance, or on the bottom of a roasting dish in an oven, with the perforated side up and the meat or other foodstuffs placed thereon for cooking, that during cooking process all or most of the fat and liquid generated during cooking will flow into the cavity containing the intermediate layer of heat resistant metal and be retained therein. Other residue normally generated in the cooking and grilling process will also be retained on the top layer of the foil in a similar fashion to a normal griller. After the cooking process is complete the article comprising the present invention may simply be discarded leaving very little or no residue which requires to be cleaned in the normal manner. In some circumstances it may be possible to use the article several times before it is disposed. In a preferred form of the invention the article is formed as a continuous mat by providing two superimposed continuous webs of aluminium foil with a continuous layer of heat resistant supporting material therebetween, said supporting material not extending to the longitudinal edges of the aluminium foil webs, the upper web being perforated and the upper and lower webs being sealed along each longitudinal edge but not transversely. In use any desired length of the continuous mat may be cut or torn off and sealed transversely by folding the transverse edges. In a further preferred form of the invention a plurality of the disposable articles is formed by providing two superimposed continuous webs of aluminium foil with spaced areas or sections of intermediate material 5 therebetween, said areas or sections of intermediate material not extending to the longitudinal edges of the aluminium foil webs, the two webs being sealed along each longitudinal edge and transverely in the areas between the spaced areas or sections of intermediate material, the upper web being 10 perforated in the areas thereof overlying the areas or sections of intermediate material. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:- Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of a 15 single mat. Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of a single mat. Figure 3 is an end view of a single mat. Figure 4 is a perspective view from above of a 20 continuous mat. Figure 5 is a cross section view of a continuous mat. Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a plurality of mats in the form of a continuous strip. 25 In the drawings the upper perforated sheet is shown at 1 with the sealed edges shown at 2. The bottom non- perforated sheet is shown at 3 and the intermediate supporting material at 4. *: It will be appreciated that the article can be g 30 packed for sales in a variety of forms for example a number of individual articles can be arranged in a container or the plurality of articles described in the previous paragraph could be sold in the form of a roll similar to the manner in which conventional aluminium foil 35 is marketed. The article has a further advantage of being capable of almost complete recycling. Modifications and adaptions of the above described article may be within the scope of the invention.

Claims: The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. An article for supporting meat and other foodstuffs during a cooking process, said article being in the form of a mat comprised of two superimposed sheets of metal 5 foil forming the top and bottom of the mat, with one or more intermediate layers of heat resistant material therebetween, the top sheets of metal foil being provided with perforations or holes, and the intermediate layer or layers of heat resistant material acting to support 10 the top sheet of metal foil in spaced relationship to the bottom non-perforated sheet of metal foil. 2. An article according to claim 1 in the form of a mat comprising an assembly of three superimposed sheets of aluminium foil, the upper sheet being provided with 15 holes or slits and the intermediate sheet being deformed from its plane by being crinkled, or being provided with dimples, corrugations or the like in order to maintain a spaced relationship between the top and the bottom sheets. .3. An article according to claim 2 wherein the 20 deformed intermediate sheet is also provided with perforations or holes. 4. An article according to claim 1 wherein the intermediate layer comprises heat resistant fibrous material. 25 5. An article according to claim 1 wherein the intermediate layer is expanded metal foil. 6. An article in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 5 in the form of a continuous mat which may be cut into desired lengths for use. _- 30 7. An article for supporting meat and other food- t~ stuffs during a cooking process substantially as described with reference to the drawings. OMPI

Inventors: LAWRIE JAMES MALCOLM
Applicants: JIMLAW NOMINEES PTY LTD, LAWRIE JAMES MALCOLM
Application year: 1982
Main classification: A47J37
IPC codes: A47J36