IP Library Granted Patent US 8,974,847
Granted Patent B2
US 8,974,847 · App. 12/445,951 · Granted Mar 10, 2015

Food with depression

Inventors: Ikuru Toyoda (Kanagawa, JP); Kazumitsu Ohtsubo (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Meiji Co., Ltd.
A23C9/18A23L2/395
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,974,847
App. No.
12/445,951
Granted
Mar 10, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

[Object] To provide a food product that exhibits excellent solubility, such as solid milk. [Means] The above purpose is achieved by a food product having a top surface ( 4 ) including a flat area ( 2 ); a bottom surface ( 8 ) including a flat area ( 6 ) parallel to the flat area ( 2 ) on the top surface; and a recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and a recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 ), wherein when the food product has both the recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 ), the total of the largest depth d u ( 14 ) of the recess ( 10 ) on the top surface and the largest depth d d ( 16 ) of the recess ( 12 ) on the bottom surface is 30% or larger of the thickness w ( 18 ) of the food product.

Claims (27)

1. A food product ( 1 ) to be dissolved in water, comprising:

a top surface ( 4 ) having a flat area ( 2 );

a bottom surface ( 8 ) having a flat area ( 6 ) parallel to the flat area ( 2 ) on the top surface; and

either one or both of a recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and a recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 );

wherein, when the food product has both the recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 ), the total of the largest depth d u ( 14 ) of the recess ( 10 ) on the top surface and the largest depth d d ( 16 ) of the recess ( 12 ) on the bottom surface is 30% or larger of the thickness w ( 18 ) of the food product, and

when the food product has either one of the recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 ), the largest depth d u ( 14 ) of the recess ( 10 ) on the top surface or the largest depth d d ( 16 ) of the recess ( 12 ) on the bottom surface is 30% or larger of the thickness w ( 18 ) of the food product,

wherein the food product is a solid milk obtained by compressing only milk powder to obtain compressed milk powder, moisturizing the compressed milk powder to produce a moisturized compressed milk powder, and drying the moisturized compressed milk powder to produce the solid milk, wherein a porosity of the solid milk is 30% to 60% and a volume of the solid milk is 2 cm 3 to 30 cm 3 .

2. The food product according to claim 1 , wherein the food product has both the recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 ) and the total capacity of the two recesses ( 10 , 12 ) is 4% or larger of the volume of the food product.

3. The food product according to claim 1 , wherein the food product has both the recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 ) and the total capacity of the two recesses ( 10 , 12 ) is 6% or larger of the volume of the food product.

4. The food product according to claim 1 , wherein the food product has both the recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 ) and the total of the largest depth d u ( 14 ) of the recess ( 10 ) on the top surface and the largest depth d d ( 16 ) of the recess ( 12 ) on the bottom surface is 40% or larger of the thickness w ( 18 ) of the food product.

5. The food product according to claim 1 , wherein the food product has both the recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 );

the top surface ( 4 ) has two recesses ( 10 a , 10 b ) formed at positions symmetrical about the center line ( 20 ) of the top surface ( 4 );

the bottom surface ( 8 ) has two recesses ( 12 a , 12 b ) formed at positions symmetrical about the center line ( 22 ) of the bottom surface ( 8 ); and

the center line ( 20 ) of the top surface and the center line ( 22 ) of the bottom surface are parallel.

6. The food product according to claim 1 , wherein the food product has both the recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 );

the recess ( 10 ) on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 ) on the bottom surface ( 8 ) are provided at opposed positions and the deepest point ( 24 ) of the recess ( 10 ) on the top surface and the deepest point ( 26 ) of the recess ( 12 ) on the bottom surface ( 8 ) that is opposed to the recess ( 10 ) on the top surface are provided at staggered positions, not at opposed positions.

7. The food product according to claim 1 , wherein the food product has both the recess ( 10 ) formed on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 ) formed on the bottom surface ( 8 );

the top surface ( 4 ) has two recesses ( 10 a, 101)) formed at positions symmetrical about the center line ( 20 ) of the top surface ( 4 );

the bottom surface ( 8 ) has two recesses ( 12 a , 12 b ) formed at positions symmetrical about the center line ( 22 ) of the bottom surface ( 8 );

the center line ( 20 ) of the top surface and the center line ( 22 ) of the bottom surface are parallel;

the recess ( 10 a ) on the top surface ( 4 ) and the recess ( 12 a ) on the bottom surface ( 8 ) are provided at opposed positions and the deepest point ( 24 a ) of the recess ( 10 a ) on the top surface and the deepest point ( 26 a ) of the recess ( 12 a ) on the bottom surface ( 8 ) that is opposed to the recess ( 10 a ) on the top surface are provided at staggered positions, not at opposed positions; and

the other recess ( 10 b ) on the top surface ( 4 ) and the other recess ( 12 b ) on the bottom surface ( 8 ) are provided at opposed positions and the deepest point ( 24 b ) of the other recess ( 10 b ) on the top surface and the deepest point ( 26 b ) of the other recess ( 12 b ) on the bottom surface ( 8 ) that is opposed to the other recess ( 10 b ) on the top surface are provided at staggered positions, not at opposed positions.

8. A food product ( 1 ) to be dissolved in water, wherein:

the food product ( 1 ) either has a recess ( 10 ) only on one surface or has a pair of recesses ( 10 , 12 ) formed at positions symmetrical about the gravity center of the food product;

when the food product has the recess ( 10 ) only on one surface, the largest depth d u ( 14 ) of the recess ( 10 ) is 30% or larger of the thickness w ( 18 ) of the food product; and

when the food product has the pair of recesses ( 10 , 12 ) formed at positions symmetrical about the gravity center of the food product, the total of the largest depth d u ( 14 ) of one recess ( 10 ) and the largest depth d d ( 16 ) of the other recess ( 12 ) is 30% or larger of the thickness w ( 18 ) of the food product,

wherein the food product is a solid milk obtained by compressing only milk powder to obtain compressed milk powder, moisturizing the compressed milk powder to produce a moisturized compressed milk powder, and drying the moisturized compressed milk powder to produce the solid milk, wherein a porosity of the solid milk is 30% to 60% and a volume of the solid milk is 2 cm 3 to 30 cm 3 .

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2011
From: MEIJI DAIRIES CORPORATION
To: MEIJI CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027422/0859 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2009
From: TOYODA, IKURU; OHTSUBO, KAZUMITSU
To: MEIJI DAIRIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022748/0021 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2006-283857 · Oct 18, 2006 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100316783A1 · Dec 16, 2010