Title of Invention

DRYING AND BAKING IMPLEMENT

Abstract This invention relates to drying/and or baking implement, comprising of porous container filled with a granular material which is stable at temperatures suitable for drying and/or baking. The said container may optionally be supported by or attached to a suitable structure or frame so as to enable the user thereof to handle it for drying and/or baking purpose.
Full Text FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
& The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; Rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Drying and Baking Implement
2. APPLICANT(S)
(a) NAME: Excel Crop Care Limited
(b) NATIONALITY: An Indian Company
(c) ADDRESS:
184-87, Swami Vivekanand Road, Jogeshwari, Mumbai 400 102, Maharashtra, India.
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION:
The following COMPLETE specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

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FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to drying and/or baking implement useful for making some ready-to-eat food products, which facilitates moisture-removal process, easy to clean and handle, inexpensive and simple, comprising of a container made up of a porous material filled with either a granular substance or a porous substance, or multiple layers thereof, and a means for conveniently handling the implement.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
On application of heat to an edible item in presence of moisture, three phenomena take place, depending on the rate of application of heat and temperature. For example, when heat is applied at a very low rate/temperature to a food item, it merely loses moisture and dries up. In other words, water loss takes place at low rate of application of heat. When the rate of application of heat and temperature is moderate, water reacts with the material being heated to hydrolyze the same. At still higher rate of application of heat, oxidation takes place.
The abovementioned processes can be used to serve different purposes. When it is necessary to preserve the material in raw form, it is desirable to store it in a substantially dry condition to avoid decay or attack by micro-organisms. Drying increases the shelf-life of raw substances. An example is Indian papad.
Products such as ready-to-eat food products are generally in hydrolyzed form. After hydrolysis, if excess free water is substantially removed, it improves shelf-life of ready-to-eat food products also, in addition to improving taste and flavor. There is natural sweetness in appropriately hydrolyzed food products from which excess free water has been

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removed. Typical examples of such food products are khakhra (when chapattis are appropriately heated to hydrolyze the material and excess free-water is removed, they result in khakhra), bakhri (thicker version of khakhra) etc.
However, when chapattis are heated to convert them into khakhra without application of slight pressure, they lose their original shape and the surface becomes uneven. Due to uneven surface, it cannot remain in uniform contact with the heating pan and hence it gets oxidized due to overheating at the points where it is in contact, and on the other hand, the area not touching the pan remains un-hydrolyzed. The oxidized part tastes bitter whereas the non-hydrolyzed and moist part does not give crispy texture. It is therefore necessary to maintain uniform contact with the heating pan.
Traditional ways of making khakhra include use of a wooden device as shown in Fig. 1. to press the khakhra while it is being made. The size of this wooden device is approximately 1/4* of chapatti. With the help of this device, chapatti is pressed and shifted generally in a circular fashion on the heating pan. This method of making khakhra is tedious and cumbersome.
Electrically heated khakhra makers are also available (Fig.2) which comprise two heating pans which can be opened and closed to place and remove khakhra between the said pans. However, since the pans are not porous, water or moisture cannot be removed quickly and effectively. Moreover, the cost of electrically heated khakhra makers is also high.

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OBJECTS OF INVENTION
The main object of this invention is to provide an effective and inexpensive implement useful for drying/baking items like khakhra.
Another object of the invention is to provide an implement for drying/baking which facilitates moisture-removal process due to porous nature of functional part thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide an implement for drying/baking which is easy to clean and maintain.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 represents a wooden device of prior art used for making khakhra.
Fig.2 represents electrically heated khakhra-maker of the prior art.
Fig. 3 represents a unit of the implement of this novel invention which
can be used for drying and/or baking.
Fig.4 represents multiple units of the novel invention attached to a block.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As per the invention, the drying/baking implement is comprising of a flexible porous container filled with an inert granular material which allows moisture to escape through it and which is stable at temperatures suitable for drying/ baking. The said container may alternatively be filled with a porous substance or multiple layers of a porous substance which is stable at temperatures suitable for drying/baking.
The said container is preferably made up of a fire-resistant porous material which is preferably flexible enough to acquire the shape of

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surface on which it is kept. Example of the material suitable for container include but not limitative to the scope of this invention, a fire-resistant fabric, woven or non-woven inert porous material which is stable at temperatures suitable for drying and/or baking. The container can be of any suitable shape, preferably a shape resembling the item to be dried/baked. The dimensions of the container is selected in such a way as to effectively cover the item to be dried/baked. The thickness i.e. height of the container may be selected in such a way so as to accommodate appropriate quantity of inert granular material which is sufficient to exert pressure enough to prevent distortion of the shape of the item to be dried/baked.
Inert granular materials which may be filled in the container include silica, sand, granules made up of metal or alloy, or any other material stable at temperatures suitable for drying/baking. The granular material should be preferably strong enough to avoid physical damage. The size of the granules should be larger than the pore size of the container in which the said granular material is filled. Particle size of coarse sand is 0.5 - 2.0 mm and that of medium sand is 0.25 - 0.5 mm. Fine sand ranges from 0.125 - 0.25 mm. In the implement of present invention, the size of the said granules may be in the range 0.1 - 10.0 mm, preferably 0.2 - 2.0 mm and most preferably 0.5 - 1.0 mm. Medium to coarse sand is preferable because it does not come out from the pores of the container and provides appropriate way-out for moisture during drying and/or baking. Very fine sand may be avoided considering the pore size of the container. Any porous substance with desired characteristics, or layers thereof may also be used for filling up of the container. Example of such porous substance include woven or non-woven fire resistant material such as fabric. Very thick layers of a porous substance may be avoided especially if it is not flexible, as in such case cleaning is difficult.

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The porous container along with granular material filled therein may be washed with soap/detergent solution and water. Optionally, the granular material and the container may be washed separately.
Conventionally the size of the chapattis/khakhra generally range between a diameter of 8-16 cm. Khakhra larger than 16 cm diameter tend to break and those with diameter less than 8 cm are not preferred because it takes long time to make it by conventional methods. However, using the implement of present invention, mini-khakhras can also be made easily without putting in extra time and effort. Moreover, mini khakhras are convenient to eat.
EXAMPLE 1
As per one embodiment of the invention as shown in Fig.3, a unit of the implement for drying and/or baking is comprising of a container(l) made up of a porous flexible fire resistant fabric, 8-16 cm in diameter and 0.5-4.0 cm in thickness/height, and filled with coarse silica/sand with particle size ranging between 0.5 - 2.0 mm. The container has loops(2) at the periphery. For handling the container, elongated rods(3) bent at one end and joined to a common elongated structure(4) at the other end are used. The bent-end of the rods is entered into the loops on the container as shown in the Fig. 3. Covering the main elongated structure(4), an outer hollow structure(5), resembling from inside, the shape of the inner structure, is arranged in such a way that the outer structure can be moved up and down over the inner structure. The distance between rods can be adjusted by shifting the outer structure up or down, so that various sizes of the containers can also be used.

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EXAMPLE 2
As per another embodiment of the invention, multiple units as described in Example 1 are attached to a block.
EXAMPLE 3
As per yet another embodiment of the invention, multiple units as described in Example 1 are attached to a block using spring system as shown in Fig.4. This enables the user to handle the implement as well as to exert different pressure as required.
The implement of present invention can be used for drying and/or baking, e.g., for making khakhra by just putting the implement on the item to be dried or baked on a heating pan for desired time. The implement keeps the item in uniform contact with the pan and allows moisture to escape through porous container containing granular material.

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WE CLAIM:
1. A drying and/or baking implement comprising a container made up of a porous material and filled with either
(a) a granular substance or
(b) a porous substance or multiple layers thereof

2. A drying and/or baking implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said container has an arrangement for attaching itself to a means for handling the said container
3. A drying and/or baking implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said arrangement for attaching the said container to a means for handling the said container comprises a set of hooks or loops preferably at the periphery of the said container
4. A drying and/or baking implement as claimed in any of the claims 2 or 3, wherein the said means for handling the container comprises a set of elongated rods, one end of which can be attached to one of the hooks or loops mentioned in claim 3, the other end of every rod is preferably attached together to the lower part of an elongated piece
5. A drying and/or baking implement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said elongated piece is covered by another hollow piece, preferably resembling at least from inside, the shape of the main inner elongated piece, the outer hollow piece capable of being shifted up and down over the inner piece so as to adjust the distance between the rods attached to the inner piece.

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6. A drying and/or baking implement in which multiple units of drying and/or baking implement as claimed in any of the claims 1-5 are attached to a block with or without using springs.
7. A drying and/or baking implement as claimed claim 1, wherein the size of the granules of the said granular substance is larger than the pore-size of the said container
8. A drying and/or baking implement as claimed claim 1, wherein the said granular substance is preferably coarse sand
9. A drying and/or baking implement as claimed claim 1, wherein the size of the said granules is in the range 0.1 - 10.0 mm, preferably 0.2 - 2.0 mm and most preferably 0.5 - 1.0 mm.
10. A drying and/or baking implement as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the said container is made up of a porous flexible woven
or non-woven material, preferably fire-resistant fabric.


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ABSTRACT
This invention relates to drying and/or baking implement, comprising of porous container filled with a granular material which is stable at temperatures suitable for drying and/or baking. The said container may optionally be supported by or attached to a suitable structure or frame so as to enable the user thereof to handle it for drying and/or baking purpose.

Documents:

212-MUM-2006-ABSTRACT(10-12-2008).pdf

212-MUM-2006-ABSTRACT(19-6-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-abstract.doc

212-mum-2006-cancelled pages(10-12-2008).pdf

212-MUM-2006-CANCELLED PAGES(19-6-2009).pdf

212-MUM-2006-CLAIMS(10-12-2008).pdf

212-MUM-2006-CLAIMS(19-6-2009).pdf

212-MUM-2006-CLAIMS(AMENDED)-(19-6-2009).pdf

212-MUM-2006-CLAIMS(AMENDED)-(25-8-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-claims(granted)-(29-1-2010).pdf

212-MUM-2006-CLAIMS(MARKED COPY)-(25-8-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-claims.doc

212-MUM-2006-CORRESPONDENCE(10-12-2008).pdf

212-mum-2006-correspondence(19-6-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-correspondence(ipo)-(1-2-2010).pdf

212-MUM-2006-CORRESPONDENCE(IPO)-(19-6-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-description (complete).pdf

212-MUM-2006-DESCRIPTION(COMPLETE)-(10-12-2008).pdf

212-MUM-2006-DESCRIPTION(COMPLETE)-(19-6-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-description(granted)-(29-1-2010).pdf

212-MUM-2006-DRAWING(10-12-2008).pdf

212-MUM-2006-DRAWING(19-6-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-drawing(granted)-(29-1-2010).pdf

212-mum-2006-drawings.pdf

212-MUM-2006-EXAMINATION REPORT(10-12-2008).pdf

212-MUM-2006-FORM 1(16-2-2006).pdf

212-mum-2006-form 18(3-5-2007).pdf

212-mum-2006-form 2(10-12-2006).pdf

212-mum-2006-form 2(19-6-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-form 2(granted)-(29-1-2010).pdf

212-MUM-2006-FORM 2(TITLE PAGE)-(10-12-2008).pdf

212-MUM-2006-FORM 2(TITLE PAGE)-(19-6-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-form 2(title page)-(granted)-(29-1-2010).pdf

212-MUM-2006-FORM 3(19-6-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-form 9(3-5-2007).pdf

212-mum-2006-form-1.pdf

212-mum-2006-form-2.doc

212-mum-2006-form-2.pdf

212-mum-2006-marked copy(19-6-2009).pdf

212-MUM-2006-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT(25-8-2009).pdf

212-mum-2006-specification(amanded)-(10-12-2008).pdf

226-MUMNP-2007-ASSIGNMENT(25-8-2009).pdf

226-MUMNP-2007-CLAIMS(25-8-2009).pdf

226-MUMNP-2007-OTHER DOCUMENT(25-8-2009).pdf

226-MUMNP-2007-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT(25-8-2009).pdf


Patent Number 238359
Indian Patent Application Number 212/MUM/2006
PG Journal Number 6/2010
Publication Date 05-Feb-2010
Grant Date 29-Jan-2010
Date of Filing 16-Feb-2006
Name of Patentee EXCEL CROP CARE LTD.
Applicant Address 184-87 S.V. Road, Jogeshwari (West), Mumbai-400 102,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 DIPESH KANTISEN SHROFF 184-87 S.V. Road, Jogeshwari (West), Mumbai-400 102,
2 JYOTSNA PADMANABH KAPADIA Excel Crop Care Ltd 184-87 S.V.Road, Jogeshwari (West), Mumbai 400 012
PCT International Classification Number A23L1/01
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 NA