FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a non-combustible food packaging product, such as a net, knitted bag, knitted stocking, threaded and knotted carcass binding. More particularly but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a non-combustible food packaging product in the form of a non-combustible, knitted net. Even more particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a net comprising a non-combustible yarn and to a thread comprising one or more strands of a first material, such as natural rubber covered, by one or more strands of a non-combustible yarn. Further aspects of the present invention relate to non-combustible or fire-resistant food packaging product formed from non-combustible knittable thread and/or net.

Additionally, aspects of the present invention relate to compostable net-style packaging. Even more particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a net, elasticated net, carcass binding, sausage casing or other food product housing comprising at least one non flammable yarn.

The invention finds advantageous application in the packaging of meat, poultry and food product that may be roasted, grilled or otherwise cooked, for example, in an oven, on a grill, on a roller grill, on a BBQ (barbecue), on a spit roast, and/or on a rotisserie oven. In addition, to meat product that may be packaged, contained and transported in a net, other products, such as fruits and vegetables can be packaged in a net according to the present disclosure. In such an application, a compostable and/or high tensile strength net may be advantageous. The present invention may also find advantageous application for the packaging of other, non food, items, such as plants, shrubs, bulbs and trees (particularly Christmas Trees).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the food packaging and food preparation industry, it is known to use elasticated netting, fibrous casings, carcass bindings, and the like to encapsulate meat products such as sausages and joints of beef or pork, or to tie or bind meat products, such as the legs of poultry. Nets may also be used for the packaging of other types of food product. Typically, such nets, casings and bindings are applied to a raw (uncooked) meat product and are very beneficial in reducing the time involved in butchery and product preparation and further beneficially can improve the appearance and quality of the packaged product. An example of a machine which packages meat in such netting is disclosed in GB 2380179. The net, casing or binding typically remains on the meat joint, sausage or bird during roasting to retain its shape and integrity during cooking. Such elasticated nets are typically knitted from a thread comprising materials such as polyester, cotton, rubber and rayon, and they have proved to be very successful, particularly for roasting joints of meat. An example of a knitting machine which produces netting is disclosed in GB 2333301.

In addition to its use on joints of meat, netting, in particular elasticated netting or fibrous casings are also often used in the preparation and presentation of cooked meat products such as sausages, hams, salamis and frankfurters. An example of an elasticated netting with an inextensible weft is disclosed in EP 2519667.

Such an elastic net with pre-fixed diameter is a very successful product for TruNet ^® Group, and is marketed under the trade mark TCN® (Total Control Net). The TruNet ^® Group is recognised as an innovative leader in the production of elasticated netting, loops and twines, and whereas the net and binding products discussed above are quality products suitable for use in a range of applications, it is still desirable to develop nets, threads and loops having improved characteristics and properties.

The present invention seeks to provide an improvement in the field of netting, nets, threads and twines for food packaging and food preparation, and in particular, but without limitation for the packaging of raw and cooked meat product, by providing a non-combustible, compostable and high-tensile strength knittable thread and to nets and other products formed from a non combustible, compostable and high-tensile strength knittable thread or yarn.

The invention may be advantageously utilised in a wide variety of applications. For example, it is foreseen that the innovative nets and threads of the present disclosure may have application in fruit and vegetable packaging; packaging of other prepared food stuffs such as fish, flavoured meat and barbeque dishes; as well as the packaging of non-food items such as plants, shrubs, bulbs and trees (for example Christmas trees). The applications of a non combustible, compostable and high-tensile strength knittable thread and to nets and other products formed from or comprising a non-combustible, compostable and high-tensile strength knittable thread, are many and various. Indeed, many versatile applications may be found in the agricultural industry and even beyond packaging per se. For example, nets according to the present disclosure may be used for plant protection (fruit netting, covers for seedlings) and ground cover, to prevent weed growth, for example.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the invention provide a non-combustible food package comprising a non combustible thread or twine, which may take the form or a carcass binding or trussing loop, and a net as claimed in the appended claims.

According to certain aspects of the invention, there is provided non-combustible food packaging product comprising a non-combustible thread comprising one or more strands of a first material having one or more coverings of a non-combustible yarn thereupon. The thread may be non-combustible and knittable. The first material may be non-combustible or combustible, elastic or inelastic and may comprise: rubber, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, cotton, polyester and/or rayon. The non-combustible yarn may comprise at least one of: Basalt, Kevlar® and Nomex® and/or may have a Denier between 200 and 600. The one or more coverings of a non-combustible yarn may be wrapped, wound, helically wound, braided and/or knitted. The thread may be elastic and may be stretched to between 200% and 400% of its original length.

Said one or more strands of a first material may form an elastomeric core.

Optionally, said one or more coverings of a non-combustible yarn may comprise between 2 and 10, helically wound, coverings.

Optionally, said helically wound coverings are alternately wound in a clock-wise and anti clockwise direction.

Optionally, the non-combustible food packaging product may take the form of a non combustible trussing loop or binding comprising one or more non-combustible threads and a knot.

Optionally, the non-combustible food packaging product is used to contain a prepared bird, at least part of the legs of said bird may be bound by a non-combustible trussing loop or carcass binding comprising one or more elasticated, non-combustible threads. Optionally, the non-combustible food packaging product may take the form of a non combustible knitted net comprising a non-combustible yarn. Optionally, the net is warp knitted and tubular.

Optionally, the non-combustible warp knitted tubular net is elastic or the non-combustible warp knitted tubular net is not elastic. Optionally, the non-combustible warp knitted tubular net is elastic to some extent at least and has an inextensible weft. The net may be closed at one end in the form of a stocking or the net may be open at both ends.

Optionally, the non-combustible warp knitted tubular net comprises a plurality of knitted non combustible threads.

Optionally, the non-combustible food packaging product is a non-combustible net suitable for use on a BBQ.

Optionally, the non-combustible food packaging product comprises, contains, holds or otherwise assists in the preparation and/or presentation of a food product. Optionally, the food product is a meat product.

According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a non-combustible twine comprising at least two twisted strands of non-combustible thread comprising one or more strands of a first material having one or more coverings of a non-combustible yarn thereupon.

Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic illustration of a non-combustible and knittable thread according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGURE 2A shows non-combustible nets of various sizes for packaging food and other products. The non-combustible nets shown are food-grade and may remain around a food product during cooking;

FIGURE 2B shows a non-combustible, tubular, warp knitted net having an inextensible weft; and

FIGURE 3 is a non-combustible carcass binding for use in binding a bird or similar food item which is useful during both packaging and cooking of the bird.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Detailed descriptions of specific embodiments of the non-combustible and knitted net, and non-combustible and knittable thread of the present invention are disclosed herein. It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the way in which certain aspects of the invention can be implemented and do not represent an exhaustive list of all of the ways the invention may be embodied. Indeed, it will be understood that the non combustible and knitted nets, and non-combustible knittable threads of the present invention described herein may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The Figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimised to show details of particular components. Well-known components, materials or methods are not necessarily described in great detail in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure. Any specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the invention.

Referring now to Figure 1 , there is shown non-combustible thread 2 being formed. The non combustible thread 2 comprises one or more strands 6 of a first material, such as but not limited to natural rubber that are covered by one or more strands 4 of a non-combustible yarn. The thread 2 is sufficiently flexible, yet sufficiently strong that it is knittable. To provide an optional degree of elasticity, the first material may be an elastic material. In other envisaged arrangements, the first material is a non-elastic material. The first material may be combustible or non-combustible.

The one or more strands 6 of first material may be covered by the one or more strands 4 of non-combustible yarn in a variety of suitable manners using a variety of suitable methods and techniques. For example, and as shown, the non-combustible yarn 4 may be helically wound about the one or more strands 6 of first material. As illustrated in Figure 1 , the wound non combustible yarn 4’ is wrapped in such a manner as to completely cover (and protect) the internally disposed one or more strands 6 of first material. In this way, notwithstanding the inherent material properties and characteristics of the first material, for example its combustibility and/or elasticity, the core of first material is bound within and protected by an outer layer 4’ of non-combustible yarn 4.

In other arrangements of the invention, the first material 6 is covered, sheathed, coated or otherwise protected by the non-combustible yarn 4 by other methods and processes, for example by: wrapping, helical wrapping, braiding and/or knitting the non-combustible yarn about said first material in one or more layers 4’.

Where two or more layers 4’ of non-combustible yarn 4 are disposed about the one or more strands 6 of first material, the two or more layers may be of different materials to one another; may each be formed from the same material; may be formed by the same method of covering; or may be formed by different methods of covering. For example, a first layer 4’ may be helically wrapped, for example in a clockwise direction, and then another layer (not shown in Figure 1 ) may be applied over the top of said first layer 4’, by any other suitable method, for example by helically wrapping non-combustible yarn in the opposite, counter-clockwise direction. In this way a thread or yarn, that is knittable, flexible, but strong and non-combustible is formed.

The non-combustible yarn may comprise at least one of: Basalt, Kevlar® and Nomex®. Other non-combustible yarns may be suitable for use in forming the non-combustible thread 2 of the present invention.

The thread shown in Figure 1 comprises a single layer of helically wound Basalt yarn 4’, wound on top of a single strand of natural rubber. Basalt yarn is an amorphous form of volcanic rock and has significant tensile strength, as well as being flexible and non-combustible (non flammable). The applicant has designed a thread 2 by wrapping, in a suitable manner a sufficient amount of Basalt® yarn about a core of one or more strands of a first material 6. Thread 2 according to the present disclosure may be knittable, compostable and non combustible. As used herein the term“non-combustible” has its normal meaning.

Whereas the high-tensile strength of the Basalt® yarn 4 is an advantageous property, it is also desirable that a thread 2 of the present invention has material qualities such that it is suitable for being knitted, and preferably, but not exclusively, such that is suitable for warp knitting a tubular net, using existing knitting machines. Similarly, whilst the Basalt® yarn 4 itself is non combustible, the thread 2 taught herein, and net formed therefrom, may comprise one or more strands of a combustible material. A combustible material can be set alight or set on fire when exposed to sufficient heat and/or a naked flame. Accordingly, a sufficient covering of non combustible yarn 4 may be applied in order to produce a thread, and net, that is also non combustible. However, it is also highly desirable, if not essential for the thread 2 to be sufficiently flexible that it can be knitted and whilst the application of a greater amount of non combustible yarn 4, may improve the non-combustible character of the resultant thread 2; consideration must also be given to other factors such as the weight, density, thickness, smoothness, pliability, elasticity, tensile strength, absorbency of the resultant thread 2, as well as the cost of the thread 2 and the production time. For example, if the thread 2 comprises too little elastic first material 6; and too great a quantity of non-combustible yarn 4, the resultant thread 2 may be insufficiently elastic for production of elastic net; may be too thick for knitting on existing machinery; may be too expensive to produce; and/or may be too stiff or strong.

Example 1

In a first non-limiting example, a non-combustible, elastic thread 2 comprises a core of a first material comprising two strands of flammable rubber. The flammable and elastic core is covered (and protected) by: a first covering of a clockwise helically wound 300 Denier Basalt yarn; and a second covering of an anti-clockwise helically wound 300 Denier Basalt yarn.

Such a thread 2 is usable in the production of elastic, tubular, knitted net 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d (see Figure 2A). The nets 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d are food-grade, elasticated, of various diameter as shown, non-combustible, compostable nets suitable for application in butchery, meat packing and in cooking. Of particular advantage is that nets 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d according to the disclosure have been developed so that they can be used in cooking methods that involve direct application to a heating element and/or exposure to a naked flame. In some cooking processes, it is desirable to sear the outside of a joint of meat in a hot pan, before roasting the joint in an oven. Elasticated (food-grade) netting of the prior art, for example the TruNet ^® Classic Net, which is a warp knitted synthetic net in tubular form with inlaid spirals of covered natural rubber, whilst suitable for roast, boil, steam and smoking applications, meat contained in the net cannot be scored in a hot pan because the net may melt. Vertical chains of the net are food grade polyester yarn and horizontal chains are extruded food grade rubber with food grade polyester. If exposed to a naked flame, for example on a barbeque or in flame-roller type rotisserie oven, the net may melt. The nets 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d taught herein do not suffer this drawback and advantageously allow for a greater range of cooking applications. Furthermore, the high- tensile strength of a net 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d comprising or formed from thread 2 may permit heavier weights of meat to be packaged; and/or may permit a larger mesh net to be suitable for large weights of meat, thus reducing the amount of material required for packaging a joint. The material savings may be of both ecological and/or environmental advantage.

Turning now to Figure 2B, there is shown an elastic net 10 with inextensible weft, which is similar in structure to the TCN® net taught in EP2519667. In the presently illustrated embodiment, inextensible weft threads 13 are non-elastic and non-combustible, knittable threads 13 which comprise a non-combustible yarn 4. The threads 13 in the presently illustrated embodiment comprise a first material such as a combustible string covered, as described above, by one or more helically wound layers of non-combustible second material, for example Basalt® yarn. The non-elastic looped weft threads limit the diameter of the net 10 to a fixed pre-determined diameter. The net 10 may be manufactured in a range of sizes. The net 10 also comprises vertical chains (warp threads) 1 1 formed from a first elastic material and a second non-combustible material, such as described above with reference to Figure 1 and thread 2. Additionally, the net 10 comprises, as shown, separated elastic and non combustible weft threads 12. The threads 12 optionally have a rubber core (first material) covered with helical windings of a non-combustible second material such as Basalt® yarn. As described in EP2519667 in the production of the net 10 the elastic 12 and inextensible 13 weft threads are drawn from separate bobbins and both knitted to the warp threads 1 1 at the same points 14 along the lengths of the latter. As an optional alternative weft threads 12 and 13 can be laid into the stitches of the warp threads 1 1 at the points 14.

In the relaxed condition of the elastic weft threads 12 the net 10 is of relatively small diameter as shown in Figure 2B and the non-elastic, non-combustible weft threads 13 are not straightened and form loops between the warp threads 1 1. When the net 10 is expanded for example, by a machine, by hand and/or by forcing a meat product into it through a nozzle the elastic weft threads 12 are tensioned and the non-elastic threads 13 straightened until the net 10 reaches a maximum diameter permitted by the weft threads 13. The elastic weft threads 12 continue to exert a squeezing force on the meat while it is being cooked but the inextensible weft threads 13 prevent distortion of the product and ensure a uniform, cylindrical shape.

In other embodiments a net 10 with a degree of elasticity and a restricted or limited diameter weft comprises an inextensible weft thread 13 that is not a composite thread comprising first and second materials. A core of a first material may not be required given the substantially non-elastic, generally inextensible nature of the non-combustible yarn (second material) 4. Indeed, in some arrangements, the inextensible weft thread 13 is formed entirely of one or more strands or fibres of Basalt® yarn.

Nets enclosing, encasing, containing or otherwise packaging meat products may be tubular, warp knitted net formed from threads 2 as described above and may be fully elastic, square- mesh, non-combustible food-grade nets.

In other embodiments, net may be inelastic, non-combustible and may be formed from a thread 2 that does not comprise any elastic material. Thread 2 may comprise a first (non elastic) material and a second (non-elastic) and non-combustible material. Alternatively, the thread may only comprise a non-combustible yarn, such as a Basalt® yarn. A net according to the disclosure may have a polygonal-shaped mesh and is not limited to such a mesh only being square, or rectangular. Optionally a net according to the disclosure may comprise a generally hexagonal mesh (see Figure 3B).

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a trussing loop or carcass binding 102 formed entirely from an elastic, non-combustible thread 1 10. Thread 1 10 may be very similar or the same as thread 2 described above and illustrated in Figure 1. The core of the thread 1 10 is provided by one or more strands of a first material. The first material has elastic properties and may natural rubber, synthetic rubber or the like. The core is covered by at least one outer covering of a second non-combustible, material such as Basalt® yarn. A knot 1 12 is provided at one end to form a loop. Free or loose ends of the thread 1 10 sticking out beyond knot 1 12 may be trimmed, or otherwise removed to avoid the trussing loop 102 from having loose, feathery, unfinished or unsightly end threads. The thread 1 10 may comprise a plurality of layers of non-combustible yarn. The application of more than one helically wound covering of non-combustible yarn, may improve the ability of the carcass binding 102 to withstand heat without catching fire. In some arrangements, a carcass binding 102 according to the disclosure comprises between 2 and 10 alternately clockwise and anti-clockwise helically wound coverings of non-combustible yarn. An optional suitable non-combustible yarn may be a 300 Denier Basalt yarn. In some arrangements, a carcass binding 102 according to the disclosure comprises between 1 and 8 strands of rubber to form the core.

In many applications a trussing loop 102 may be used to hold a bird, for example a chicken in a tidy configuration wherein ends of the birds’ legs are looped together and neatly tucked into the neck cavity. In this form, the bird is neatly packaged and presented. Additionally, in this form, the bird may also be cooked. Whereas, similar chicken loops or elasticated bindings are disclosed in GB2512013, and whereas such bindings have proved to be very useful in a wide range of applications, the presently described binding 102 is additionally beneficial because it is at least substantially or completely non-combustible. The trussing loop 102 (also referred to as“loop”,“binding”,“carcass binding” 102) is highly beneficial in cooking methods utilising an open flame, for example on a BBQ, on an open flamed spit roast, or on a rolling- rotisserie that rotates lines of chickens next to a wall of gas flame.

Additionally, a trussing loop 102 formed from a non-combustible and elastic thread 1 10 as taught herein, is further beneficial because it completely mitigates against the risk of fire (and the resulting consequential fire damage and loss of food product) and mitigates against loss of food product, both of which may otherwise occur in commercial (open-flame) chicken rotisserie grills, which, for example, are popular in Brazil.

One or more threads, such as non-combustible thread 2 described above can be knitted to form a net 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 10; twisted to form a twine (not shown); or looped and knotted to form a truss or carcass binding 102. Upon reading the foregoing it will be recognised that many and various uses and applications of the eco-friendly (no plastic), non-combustible, compostable, strong and knittable threads exist.

It can be appreciated that various changes may be made within the scope of the present invention, for example, in other embodiments of the invention it is envisaged that non combustible yarns other than or in addition to Basalt yarn may be incorporated.

As used herein and in the appended claims the term“non-combustible” may be taken to mean“completely non-combustible” wherein“completely non-combustible” means that the thread, net or carcass binding does not ignite or burn if exposed directly to fire or put into a flame, for any length of time. As used herein and in the appended claims the term“non-combustible” may be taken to mean “substantially non-combustible", wherein“substantially non-combustible” means that the non combustible material of the thread, net or carcass binding does not ignite or burn if exposed to fire, directly to fire or put into a flame. It will be appreciated that the extent to which a thread according to the present disclosure can withstand heat energy without even the non combustible element melting or evaporating, thus exposing the elastomeric core (which may well be combustible) may depend upon the manner in which the non-combustible material protects the inner elastomeric core and this may be affected by a variety of factors, including as examples only: the denier of the non-combustible yarn used; the number of coverings or layer of non-combustible yarn; the turns per meter of helically wound non-combustible yarn and the specific material properties of the non-combustible yarn itself. This is because, although the non-combustible yarn does not set alight, it does have a melting point and if sufficient heat is applied for a sufficient length of time, such that the non-combustible yarn melts away exposing the combustible core, then the exposed rubber core of the thread may at that point ignite.

As used herein and in the appended claims the term "inextensible" should be taken to mean “completely” or "substantially"“inextensible” to allow for the fact that even a thread material such as Basalt® covered string has a limited ability to stretch.

As used herein the terms“thread”,“yarn”,“strand”, and“filament” refer to a length, of typically thin material or other fibres suitable for use in sewing knitting, weaving and the like which may or may not be spun.

As used herein the term“non-combustible food packaging product” covers a wide variety of packaging products. Such packaging products include packaging products used during and after food processing. Such packaging products include, as examples and without limitation, warp, weft, elastic, non-elastic, knitted nets. Such knitted nets may be of a tubular-style, stocking-style and/or inextensible-weft-style. Any of such knitted nets may have square shaped chains, hexagonal-shaped chains and/or diamond-shaped chains. Such packaging products also include, as examples and without limitation: meat ties; and carcass trussings or bindings.

As used herein the phrase“a non-combustible food packaging product comprising a non combustible thread” refers to a product as described above wherein the primary composition of the packaging product is non-combustible thread, which as described above may be twisted, knitted, looped, knotted or otherwise formed into a net. In other words, the disclosure relates to a non-combustible food packaging product that is formed from, formed using, made up of or is otherwise substantially made up of a non-combustible thread. As used herein the phrase“a non-combustible food packaging product” may refer to a“food- grade” product that is suitable for being in direct contact with a food product; and as such may be considered as a primary packaging product.