EMBOSSED METAL FOIL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to embossed metal foil.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Household metal foils generally consist of smooth shiny thin sheet material. Problems with conventional thin smooth foils include pooling or run off of cooking fluids, sticking to cooked food, smudging or marking of the smooth shiny surface, and poor strength, rigidity, stretchability, foldability and tearability.

Previously proposed methods of enhancing the performance and useability of smooth metal foils have been expensive or unsatisfactory. For example, plastic laminates have been added to smooth metal foils to reduce sticking and add strength. To improve their appearance, metal foils have also been embossed or microembossed with decorative patterns of open, unconnected straight lines or closed rectilinear shapes such as diamonds.

A need therefore exists for a more cost-effective and satisfactory method of enhancing the performance, appearance, and properties of domestic metal foils.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a metal sheet at least part of which is embossed with an embossing pattern that includes undulations which are mutually arranged closely adjacent to each other so that in use egress of fluid from the plane of the sheet is omnidirectionally controlled.

The undulations can be mutually arranged to define interconnected tortuous fluid egress channels.

The undulations can have a S -shaped plan shape.

The undulations can have a curved plan shape selected from alternating circular arc segments, sinusoidal segments, rounded zigzags, wave-shapes, serpentine-shapes, C- shapes, U-shapes, and combinations thereof.

The undulations can overlap or nest with each other. The undulations can be mutually parallel in transverse, longitudinal or diagonal directions.

The undulations can taper in respect of their width or height towards their ends. The undulations can have differing heights.

The undulations can be provided on one or both sides of the sheet. The undulations can have a vertical cross section shape selected from an inverted V-shape, an inverted U-shape, an inverted squared U-shape, and combinations thereof.

At least part of the sheet can be microembossed with a microembossing pattern. The microembossing pattern can include pyramidal ribs or knurling. At least part of the sheet can be textured with a visual texturing. The visual texturing can include sandblasted texturing. At least part of the sheet can be printed with printing.

The microembossing pattern, visual texturing, and printing can be selectively and individually provided on or between the undulations. The embossing pattern, microembossing pattern, visual texturing, and printing can be selectively superposed on each other.

The embossing pattern can have a height of between 0.01 mm to 25 mm. The microembossing pattern can have a height of between 0.001 mm and 0.1 mm.

The metal sheet can be made of aluminium or aluminium alloy. The metal sheet can have a thickness of between 0.005 mm and 3 mm.

The present invention also provides an article formed from or including the embossed metal sheet.

The article can be selected from a foil sheet, a foil roll, a foil roll dispenser, a receptacle, a tray, a container, a lid, cookware, bakeware, a food package, and combinations thereof.

The article can be bakeware and the embossing pattern can be provided on at least part of an upper surface of the bakeware so that in use food to be baked is releasably received on the embossing pattern.

The bakeware can be a cookie sheet or a biscuit sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 to 4 are plan views of metal foils of embodiments of the invention with different embossing patterns.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate sheets of aluminium or aluminium alloy household kitchen or cooking foil 100 embossed with embossing patterns 110. The embossing patterns 110 generally include undulations, corrugations or ribs 120 which are mutually arranged closely adjacent to each other so as to define interconnected tortuous fluid egress channels 130. The mutual arrangement of the undulations 120 and the fluid egress channels 130 provides controlled fluid egress in the plane of the foil 100 in all directions. The illustrated

embossing patterns 110 are uniform but other equivalent non-uniform embossing patterns may also be used over all or part of the area of the foil 100.

The embossing patterns 110 can use any conventional geometry, for example, Euclidean geometry or fractal geometry. In the illustrated embodiments, the non-limiting examples of embossing patterns 110 include S-shaped undulations 120 having plan shapes consisting of alternating circular arc segments S ₁ , S ₂ that taper in respect of their width towards their ends. The undulations 120 can have other equivalent regular or irregular curved or rectilinear plan shapes. For example, the undulations 120 can have curved plan shapes such as sinusoidal segments, rounded zigzags, wave-shapes, serpentine-shapes, C-shapes, U-shapes, etc. Equivalent rectilinear plan shapes can include, for example, alternate T- and inverted-T shapes, and staggered, overlapping or nesting X-shapes, H-shapes, F- shapes, etc.

In the illustrated embossing patterns 110, the S-shaped undulations 120 overlap or nest with each other, and are mutually parallel in transverse, longitudinal or diagonal directions across the foil 100. Other equivalent non-parallel arrangements may also be used. The undulations 120 can have differing heights, and can also taper in respect of their height towards their ends.

The undulations 120 can be provided on one or both sides of the foil 100, and can have a vertical cross section shape selected from an inverted V-shape, an inverted U-shape, an inverted squared U-shape, etc.

Although not illustrated, the foil 100 is also microembossed with a microembossing pattern. The microembossing pattern can include pyramidal ribs, knurling, scoring, sandblasting, etc. In addition, Figure 3 illustrates that the foil 100 can further include printing 140, for example, brand indicia, logos, text, graphics, etc. Although not illustrated, the foil 100 is also textured with a visual texturing, for example, sandblasted texturing. The microembossing pattern, visual texturing, and printing can be selectively and individually provided on or between the undulations 120. The embossing pattern,

microembossing pattern, visual texturing, and printing can be superposed on each other to provide foil 100 having a pleasing, attractive and marketable appearance that clearly differentiates embossed foil products of the invention from convention household foil products.

The embossing pattern 110 can have a height of between 0.01 mm to 25 mm. The microembossing pattern can have a height of 0.001 mm and 0.1 mm. The foil 100 can have a thickness of between 0.005 mm and 3 mm, for example, 0.013 mm.

The embossing pattern 110 can be formed using conventional embossing methods, for example, roll embossing or stamp embossing. The microembossing pattern or the visual texturing can be formed using conventional techniques, for example, knurling, scoring, micromachining, photolithography, etching, sandblasting, printing etc.

The embossed metal foils 100 can be conventionally fabricated or packaged into various household or kitchen articles such as foil sheets, foil rolls, foil roll dispensers, receptacles, trays, containers, lids, cookware, bakeware, food packages, etc. For example, embossed metal foils of this invention can be pressed into trays using moulds. The embossed foils can be also formed into bakeware or cookware with the embossing pattern provided on at least part or all of the bakeware or cookware so that in use food to be baked is releasably received on the embossing pattern. For cookware or bakeware, such as cooking, grilling or baking trays, the embossing patterns can provided over the entire horizontal surface area of the articles. Alternatively, where the bakeware is a cookie sheet or a biscuit sheet, the embossing patterns can be provided on the sheet in a plurality of spaced apart circular areas for releasably receiving a corresponding plurality of pieces of cookie or biscuit dough to be baked.

The embossed metal foils of this invention have superior performance, appearance and useability relative to conventional smooth metal foils. For example, the cooking performance of the embossed foils is improved by reason of the arrangement of undulations and fluid egress channels which ominidirectionally control egress, spreading

or dispersion of fluids (i.e. liquids and gases) in the plane of the foil. This avoids uncontrolled run off of oil and cooking fluids and ensures that sufficient amounts of fluid are kept close to the food during cooking to impart flavour, moistness and tenderness. The embossing pattern also prevents pooling of cooking fluids and oil by controllably allowing cooking fluid to egress, spread and disperse away from the food during cooking. When a food item is completely contained within foil and the oils splatter, the S-shaped undulations disperse cooking liquids through the fluid egress channels, while also maintaining an oily coating on the inner surface of the embossed foil that aids in even heat dispersion and more even cooking of the food item. Foils or trays with embossing provide liquid channelling and dispersion, and hot air flow underneath the cooked article which further aids even cooking. The superior cooking characteristics of metal foils of this invention are therefore provided by the combination of the undulations upon which the food rests and the fluid egress channels that provide airways or liquid channels under the food. The flavour, taste and healthiness of the food cooked on or in embossed foil of this invention are consequentially enhanced relative to food cooked on or in smooth foil.

The cooking characteristics of embossed foils of the invention are also improved by reason of the increased area of food which is exposed for heat absorption. This is because the embossing patterns reduce the planar contact area for food compared to smooth foils. As mentioned above, the fluid egress channels act as airways for controlled flow of hot air under more exposed areas of food during cooking.

The reduced contact area of the embossed foils also advantageously reduces adhesion or sticking of food. This is because cooked food can be more easily removed from the tops of the undulations compared to the complete contact and adherence in the case of smooth foils. Food products that are cooked or baked on the embossed foils release more easily because only a small fraction of the food actually comes into contact with the cooking surface. Similarly, the reduced planar contact area provided by the undulations means that the embossed foils can be more easily removed or released from cooking surfaces when cooking is completed.

The controlled egress, spreading or dispersion of cooking fluids in the plane of the foil provided by the embossing pattern also reduces run off, leakage and spillage of cooking fluids and oil from the edges of the foil. Thus, embossed foil of this invention has improved hygiene and handling characteristics compared to smooth foil.

The embossing patterns also increase the perceived or apparent thickness of foils of the invention. The perceived thickness is the perpendicular distance from the top of the undulations on one side of the embossed foil to the highest point on the opposite side of the foil. In addition to the increased perceived thickness, the embossing pattern provides a pleasing tactile sensation when handled. Further, the embossing pattern makes foil of this invention easier to grip and handle compared to smooth foils.

The undulations of the embossing pattern have a pleasing appearance and also prevent smudging, marking, fingerprints and surface imperfections from standing out as is the case with smooth foils .

The cooking performance, pleasing tactile feel and attractive appearance of embossed foils of this invention can be further enhanced by the superposed microembossing patterns and visual texturing. For example, microembossing patterns on the undulations, or in the fluid egress channels, can further enhance the omnidirectionally controlled egress, spreading and dispersion of cooking fluids in the plane of the embossed foils. Microembossed knurling adds to the pleasing tactile feel of the embossed foils, and sandblasting visual texturing adds to their attractive appearance.

In addition to enhancing cooking performance and "look and feel" qualities, the embossing patterns of this invention improve the mechanical and material properties of metal foils. For example, the embossing patterns provide increased rigidity and dimensional stability to metal foils. This means that thinner gauge embossed foils can have substantially the same rigidity and dimensional stability as thicker gauge smooth foils.

The stretchability, conformability and "deadfold" ability of embossed foils are also improved compared to smooth foils. The undulations are pre-stretched during embossing and this confers improved stretchability and sponginess on the embossed foils. The embossed foils are more easily stretched and wrapped around food without shrinkage, springiness, wrinkling, crushing and rupture. This is because the stretchable undulations take up and distribute stresses at stretch points around the corners and edges of food. This means that the embossed foils stay wrapped around food items without springing back after stretching and wrapping, and without needing further sealing using ties or tape.

In addition, the undulations and fluid egress channels of the embossing pattern enhance the omnidirectional tearability of the embossed foils because they act as pre-formed lines of weakness or rupture after an initial tear has been made.

It will be appreciated that the embossing patterns of embodiments of this invention provide cost-effective means of enhancing the performance, properties, appearance and marketability of household or domestic metal foils.

The embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims which follow.