Vacuum Package for Food Products

Abstract

A vacuum package for containing a plurality of food products. The package includes a compartment including a plurality of pockets defined by semi-cylindrical walls. One food product is housed in each pocket. A cover encloses the compartment to define an interior. A vacuum is applied to the interior. The shape of the compartment enables the package to be more easily filled using a horizontal vacuum pack machine on a manufacturing line.

1 . A vacuum package for containing a plurality of food products comprising:
 a compartment including a plurality of pockets defined by semi-cylindrical walls;   a plurality of food products with one food product housed in each pocket;   a cover enclosing the compartment to define an interior; and   a vacuum in the interior.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum package of  claim 1  and further including a top surface capable of securing the cover thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum package of  claim 2  wherein the top surface is planar. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum package of  claim 1  wherein the cover includes a flexible film. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum package of  claim 1  wherein the food products are of a complementary shape to the pockets. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum package of  claim 1  wherein the food products are cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum package of  claim 1  wherein the cover is heat sealed to the compartment. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum package of  claim 2  wherein the cover is heat sealed to the top surface. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum package of  claim 8  wherein the compartment further includes a top surface and wherein the cover is heat sealed to the top surface. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum package of  claim 1  wherein the compartment has a periphery and wherein the cover has the same periphery. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum package of  claim 10  wherein the cover is heat sealed to the compartment with at least one portion of the heat seal being inward of the periphery of the compartment. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum package of  claim 10  wherein the cover has at least one portion that is not heat sealed to the compartment and is useable to peel the cover from the compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum package of  claim 1  wherein the compartment has a periphery that is rectangular. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum package of  claim 1  wherein the cover has a periphery that is rectangular. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum package of  claim 1  wherein the compartment and the cover have peripheries that are the same shape. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum package of  claim 1  wherein the pockets are elongate and parallel to one another. 
     
     
         17 . A vacuum package for containing a plurality of food products comprising:
 a compartment having a plurality of elongate parallel pockets defined by semi-cylindrical walls and having a planar top surface;   a plurality of food products with one food product housed in each pocket;   a cover heat sealed to the top surface and enclosing the compartment to define an interior; and   a vacuum in the interior.   
     
     
         18 . The vacuum package of  claim 17  wherein the food products are elongate and cylindrical. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum package of  claim 17  wherein the cover includes a flexible film. 
     
     
         20 . A vacuum package for housing a plurality of cylindrical food products comprising:
 a compartment including a plurality of elongate parallel pockets defined by semi-cylindrical walls, the compartment including a top surface and a periphery;   a plurality of cylindrical food products with only one food product housed in each pocket;   a flexible film heat sealed to the top surface to enclose the compartment and define an interior, the flexible film has a periphery that is the same shape as the periphery of the compartment, and having a portion that is non-heat sealed at the periphery of the compartment so as to be lifted from the periphery of the compartment to gain access to the interior; and   a vacuum in the interior.