FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally refers to an ovenware to cook food. More specifically, the invention refers to an ovenware having particular characteristics which improves the baking process of loaf.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Baking loaf is a very common activity since such food item is one of the most consumed in the world. Normally, the baking is carried out by placing a certain quantity of loaf paste in the ovenware, and baking such paste in an oven for a certain period. Generally, the initial volume of paste is smaller than the overall volume of the ovenware, since the paste will grow with the heat by the action of the yeast introduced in the paste.

The loaf grows and bakes, and after that, it is removed from the ovenware, packaged and delivered to the market for consumers. In the present specification, the term "loaf is used to designate a quantity of bread that is shaped and baked in one piece and usually sliced before being eaten.

The term "ovenware" is used herein to designate a utensil that is useful to cook or bake food in an oven, such as, but not limited to, a dish, a bowl, a pan, a tray etc.

The term "groove" is used herein to designate ribs or stripes, i.e. linear cuts or depressions made in a surface.

In industrial production, the baking process of loaf is generally an automated process, i.e. the production of the paste, its placement in the ovenware, its baking in an oven and the removal of the loaf from the ovenware after baking is carried out by automated means. The automated process has the purposes of increasing the productivity and avoiding contamination due to human manipulation. Usually, the ovenware of to bake loaf, particularly the one used in an automated process, is made of a metallic alloy. The inner lateral and bottom walls of the ovenware are normally coated with a material to avoid the stick of the loaf paste to the walls while baking, in order to facilitate the removal of the loaf after baking. Such material may be for example a polymer, such as a polytetrafluoroethylene. A polytetrafluoroethylene is for example available under the trademark Teflon® of E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington - DE.

The use of metallic alloys for the ovenware particularly to bake loaf has an intrinsic advantage due to the easy conformable properties of the metallic alloys.

Nevertheless, the metallic alloys must be coated with a non-stick material, in order to avoid the adherence of the loaf in the lateral and bottom walls of the ovenware. If the loaf sticks in the lateral or bottom walls of the ovenware, the removal may be difficult, damaging the loaf and decreasing the productivity. Although the coating is useful to avoid the adherence of the loaf, it also brings some inconveniences: it is necessary to have special care with the cleaning of the ovenware, to avoid the removal of the non-stick material. Moreover, the non-stick material detaches from the walls of the ovenware with the prolonged use, thus requiring the substitution of the ovenware or its recoating.

Some attempts have been made in order to substitute the metallic material of the ovenware. In the last years, thermoplastic polymers having a better high temperature resistance have been developed, and the ^" use of these polymers for ovenware has been proposed. These polymeric cooking containers can be used in thermal ovens and often can withstand the highest temperatures usually used in these ovens, for example about 250° C or more. The polymeric ovenware has the advantage of having a lower weight. On the other hand, the thermal conductivity of thermoplastic materials generally is not as good as metallic materials.

In order to overcome the problem of the relative low thermal conductivity of polymeric materials, it has been developed an ovenware made of a thermoplastic polymer composition, wherein said thermoplastic polymer composition may comprise a through plane thermal conductivity of 1.0 watt/m ⁰ K or more. This thermal conductivity is not as high as found in metallic alloys, but is higher than the average thermal conductivity of polymers in general.

Although the thermal conductivity of polymeric materials designed to have a good temperature resistance is not so high in respect to metallic alloys, this might be an advantage, since the ovenware made of a polymeric composition does not absorb so many heat as a metallic material, and the temperature between the ovenware and the loaf paste is kept more even, thus enabling a better cooking of loaf. The consequence is that a faster baking time or low temperature for baking may be achieved, increasing the productivity and decreasing the energy consumption in the oven.

The use of a thermoplastic ovenware also has the advantage of having a lower friction between the loaf and its walls, when compared with metallic materials.

Nevertheless, the lower friction also has its intrinsic problems. Firstly, the loaf paste while growing when it is being baked (due to the fermentation) tends to move inside the ovenware. The movement is not equally distributed hence the liberation of gas due to the fermentation is also not equally dispersed in the paste. Although the paste is mixed before baking, there may be small variations of yeast concentration, thus leading to an unequal liberation of gas and an irregular growth of the paste during baking.

Therefore, the movement of the paste while baking leads to an unequal growth of the loaf (i.e. with the movement, some regions may growth more than others do), and consequently the baked loaf may have an irregular shape. The irregular shape may be undesirable for consumers and also may jeopardize the whole structure of the loaf, which may break into pieces when removed from the ovenware or during packing and transportation.

In addition, although thermoplastic materials may present a lower friction when compared with metallic materials, the lower friction may not be sufficient to avoid the adherence of the loaf in the walls of the ovenware. That is because the formula of the loaf (i.e. its recipe) may vary. For example, a lower moisture (i.e. content of water), and the presence of egg and/or sugar may contribute to stick the loaf in the walls of the ovenware. Moreover, it is important to foreseen in the ovenware means to release the gas of the fermentation that may accumulate in the bottom or side walls of the ovenware, in order to avoid the formation of bubbles in the baked loaf. Normally, such means, when the ovenware is metallic, are a couple of bores made in the bottom wall. Therefore, it is an objective of the invention an ovenware that overcomes the inconveniences of the known ovenware of the state of the art.

More particularly, it is an objective of the invention an ovenware, particularly an ovenware to bake loaf, that fastens the loaf paste while baking in order to avoid movements of the paste and consequently an unequal growth and final shape of the loaf.

It is another objective of the invention an ovenware, particularly an ovenware to bake loaf, that has a lower friction of its walls, in order to avoid the adherence of the loaf and to facilitate the removal of the loaf from the ovenware.

It is another objective of the invention an ovenware, particularly an ovenware to bake loaf, that allows the release of gas from the fermentation without damaging the loaf structure.

It is another objective of the invention an ovenware, particularly an ovenware to bake loaf, that presents advantages in respect to a metallic ovenware.

It is another objective of the invention an ovenware, particularly an ovenware to bake loaf, that is lighter when compared to a metallic ovenware.

It is another objective of the invention an ovenware, particularly an ovenware to bake loaf, which eliminates or at least minimize the need of coating with a non-stick material, thus increasing its lifecycle and facilitating its cleansing process.

It is another objective of the invention an ovenware, particularly an ovenware to bake loaf, which may increase the overall strength og the structure of the loaf after baking, enabling a lower risk of damage in the loaf for further manipulation, such as packing and transportation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the above-mentioned objectives, among others, the present invention refers to an ovenware having a first lateral wall, a second lateral wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and a bottom wall, wherein said ovenware comprises at least one groove in said first lateral wall and at least one groove in said second lateral wall, and wherein said grooves are inclined in a certain angle in respect to the bottom wall of said ovenware, and wherein said inclination of said at least one groove in the first lateral wall is in an opposite direction in respect to said one groove in the second lateral wall.

The invention may also comprise one or more of the following characteristics:

- The number of grooves in said first lateral wall or in said second lateral wall may be comprised between 0.25 and 10 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of a lateral wall;

- The number of grooves in said first lateral wall or in said second lateral wall may be comprised between 1 and 5 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of a lateral wall; - The number of grooves in said first lateral wall or in said second lateral wall may be comprised between 1 and 3 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of one lateral wall;

- Said inclination may be an angle comprised between 0 and 90°, particularly between 10 and 45°, and even more particularly between 15 and 30° in respect to the bottom wall of the ovenware;

- The variation of the angle of said at least one groove of the first lateral wall in respect to the angle of said at least one groove of the second lateral wall may be of about ± 15°; - The ovenware additionally comprises at least one groove in its bottom wall;

- The ovenware additionally comprises at least one groove in its front wall;

- The ovenware additionally comprises at least one groove in its rear wall;

- Said grooves have a serrated-like cross-sectional shape;

- Said grooves comprises a depth of 0.05 and 5 mm, particularly between 0.5 and 2.5 mm, and even more particularly between 1 and 2 mm;

- The ovenware is made of a polymeric material.

The invention also deals with a process of baking loaf by placing a loaf in an ovenware as described above, baking the loaf paste placed in said ovenware in an oven, and removing the loaf from the ovenware after baking.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described in relation to its particular embodiments, referring to the attached drawings. Such drawings are schematic, its dimensions and proportions may vary and do not have the intention to limit the invention beyond the attached claims, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ovenware according to an embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the ovenware of figure 1 taken along the line A-A, showing the first inner lateral wall of the ovenware;

- Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ovenware of figure 1 taken along the line A-A, showing the second inner lateral wall of the ovenware; and - Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ovenware taken along lines B-B showing the cross-sectional shape of the grooves according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

Description of particular embodiments

Figures 1 to 4 represent an ovenware according to a particular embodiment of the invention. The ovenware (100), according to this embodiment, has a parallelepipedical shape formed by a front wall (110) a first lateral wall (120), a rear wall (130), a second lateral wall (140) and a bottom wall (150). As can be realized by those skilled in the art, the shape and dimensions of the ovenware may vary, and such shape or dimensions are not part of the scope of the invention.

The ovenware may comprise other technical aspects such as lateral rims (to attach the ovenware to a frame, for example) or a cover, if necessary. Such features are not represented in the figures, and may be included in the ovenware of the invention according to specific needs. Alternatively, the ovenware may also comprise lateral fasteners (not shown) to secure the lateral walls of the container in a frame, in order to avoid the contraction of the material of the ovenware by the heat. Any suitable means to fasten the ovenware in a frame may be employed.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the ovenware comprises at least one groove (121) in one of its lateral walls (120) and at least one groove (141) in the second lateral wall (140), wherein said grooves are inclined in a certain angle (α) in respect to the bottom wall (150) of the ovenware, and wherein the inclination of said at least one groove (121) is in a opposite direction in respect to the other (141).

According to the embodiment shown in the figures 1-3, there is a plurality of grooves in the lateral walls (120, 140) of the ovenware. The number of grooves may vary depending on the length and height of the lateral walls (120, 140) of the ovenware, since at least one groove (121, 141) is provided in one of each lateral wall (120, 140), and said grooves are inclined in opposite directions in respect to the bottom wall (150) of the ovenware.

Particularly, the number of grooves in each lateral wall may be comprised between 0.25 and 10 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of one lateral wall of the ovenware, more particularly between 1 and 5 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of one lateral wall, and even more particularly between 1 and 3 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of one lateral wall of the ovenware.

The width of the grooves and the distance between them may also vary, but the number of grooves in the lateral walls is preferably within the range specified above.

The term "lateral wall" is referred herein to designate the walls of an ovenware which are not the bottom wall and which have the smaller orthogonal distance between them. According to this definition, the lateral walls of the ovenware represented in the figures are those indicated with the reference numerals (120, 140) because such walls have the smaller orthogonal distance between them. On the other hand, still according to this definition, if the shape of the ovenware is quadratic, all walls, except the bottom wall, will be considered lateral walls, since the orthogonal distance between all lateral walls will be the same.

The angle (α) may also vary, and shall be comprised between 0 and 90°, particularly between 10 and 45°, and even more particularly between 15 and 30°. The term "the inclination of the grooves in opposite direction in respect to each other" shall be interpreted as at least one groove (121) in one of the lateral wall (120) of the ovenware has an opposite inclination in respect to the groove (141) of the second lateral wall (140). It means that, if at least one groove (121) of the first lateral wall (120) of the ovenware has an angle (α) of about 30°, at least one groove (141) of the second lateral wall (140) of the ovenware has an angle (α ¹ ) equal to 90° - α, i.e. about 60°.

The angular relation between the angles (α) and (α ¹ ) may have a certain variation, i.e. the opposite inclination of the grooves in each wall may accept a certain deviation of ± 15°. For example, if the angle (α) is about 30°, the angle (α ¹ ) may be comprised between 45° and 85° according to the relation: α' = 90° - α ± 15°. Naturally, if the angle (α ¹ ) is the fixed term, the angle (α) may vary depending on the angle (α ¹ ), just inverting the relation exposed above. Such relation and the designation of the angles in (α' and α ¹ ) were taken for didactical purposes for a perfect understanding of the invention.

According to a second embodiment of the invention, the bottom wall (150) of the ovenware also comprises at least one groove (151). The number of grooves in the bottom wall of the ovenware, according to this embodiment, may also vary, and preferably is comprised between 0.25 and 10 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of the bottom wall of the ovenware, more particularly between 1 and 5 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of the bottom wall of the ovenware, and even more particularly between 1 and 3 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of the bottom wall of the ovenware. According to a preferred embodiment, the number of grooves (151) of the bottom wall (150) of the ovenware is the same number of grooves (121 , 141) of a lateral wall (120, 140) of the ovenware.

The grooves (151) in the bottom wall (150) of the ovenware may also be inclined in respect to the lateral walls of the ovenware. The angle of inclination may vary between 0 and 90°, particularly between 10 and 45°, and even more particularly between 15 and 30°. In a preferred embodiment, the grooves in the bottom wall of the ovenware, if present, are inclined within the range of the angle of the grooves in the lateral walls of the ovenware.

According to a fourth embodiment of the invention, the front (110) and/or the rear (130) walls of the ovenware also comprise at least on groove (111 , 131). The number of grooves, likewise the lateral and bottom walls of the ovenware, may also vary, and shall be comprised between 0.25 and 10 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of the front and/or rear wall of the ovenware, more particularly between 1 and 5 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of the front and/or rear wall of the ovenware, and even more particularly between 1 and 3 grooves per linear centimeter taken along the length of the front and/or rear wall of the ovenware. The grooves if presented in the front (110) and/or rear walls (130) of the ovenware may also be inclined in respect to the bottom wall (150), either in the same direction or in opposing directions. According to the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the grooves (111 , 131) in the front (110) and rear walls (131) are inclined in opposing directions, similarly as already defined for the lateral walls (120, 140) of the ovenware. However, the direction of inclination of the grooves may be the same for both front (110) and rear (130) walls. The angle of inclination may vary between 0 and 90°, particularly between 10 and 45°, and even more particularly between 15 and 30°. The angle of inclination may be different for the grooves of the front wall in respect to the grooves of the rear wall, therefore the relation described for the inclination of the grooves in the lateral walls of the ovenware does not need to be applied for the grooves in the front and rear walls.

The grooves (111 , 121 , 131 , 141 , 151) may have a depth comprised between 0.05 and 5 mm, particularly between 0.5 and 2.5 mm, and even more particularly between 1 and 2 mm. The depth of the grooves may be different for the front (110), lateral (120, 140), rear (130) and bottom (150) wals. In a preferred embodiment, the grooves have a serrated-like cross-sectional shape, as disclosed in Figure 4, and the depth (d) of the lower part of the groove in respect to the higher part of the groove may be within the range mentioned above.

The width and distance between the grooves may be defined according specific needs, provided that the number of grooves (111 , 121 , 131, 141 , 151) in each wall are within the ranges specified above.

The material of the ovenware is preferably a polymeric material, such as a thermoplastic polymer having a sufficient thermal resistance to be used at temperatures ordinarily found in cooking and baking ovens. Examples of thermoplastics include polyolefins; polyesters such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(1 ,4-butylene terephthalate) and poly(1 ,3-propylene terephthalate); polyamides such as nylon-6 and nylon-6,6; polyethers such as poly(phenylene oxides); polycarbonates; poly(ether-sulfones); poly(ether- imides); polysulfides such as poly(p-phenylene sulfide); polyphtalamides; liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) such as aromatic polyesters, poly(ester-imides), and poly(ester-amides); poly(ether-ether-ketones); poly(ether-ketones); fluoro- polymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene, a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether), and a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene; and mixtures and blends thereof.

Other materials, such as ceramic, metallic and composite materials may also be used.

If realized in a polymeric material, the ovenware may be manufactured by an injection-molding technique.

The provision of grooves in the lateral walls of the ovenware overcomes a series of inconveniences of such kind of cooking utensil found in the state of the art.

Firstly, the grooves in the lateral walls of the ovenware, inclined in opposing directions, permits the fastening of the loaf paste, and thus a regular growth of the loaf while cooking. Therefore, it minimizes the risks of movements of the paste while baking, and consequently an irregular shape of the baked loaf.

Such grooves also helps to increase the strength of the loaf structure, minimizing the risks of damaging the loaf after baking during further processing, such as packing, transportation, and deliver.

Moreover, since the loaf tends to retract after baking, the grooves reduce the contact area between the walls of the ovenware and the loaf, consequently enabling an easy extraction of the loaf. Due to this characteristic, it is not required any kind of coating with a non-stick material, such as Teflon®. Once no coating of a non-stick material is necessary in the ovenware of the invention, cleansing becomes easier and equally there is no need to substitute or recoat the ovenware due to wearing.

In addition, the grooves help the release of the fermentation gas, avoiding the accumulation of gas and the formation of bubbles in the loaf. Although the present invention has been described in respect to a particular embodiment, those skilled in the art may develop variations to structural and operational details, as well as expand the object described above to other types of application without, however, deviating from the principles of the present invention. Therefore, the attached claims must be interpreted as comprising all equivalents that are within the scope of the invention.