Stiffened flexible mould

Abstract

A mould for culinary preparation comprises a hollow tray made from a flexible elastomer material and comprising a side wall, the top end of which forms an opening, and a rigid stiffener. Another stiffener, for example an annular or discoid stiffener is connected to the bottom, close to the junction with the side wall.

1 . A flexible mould for a culinary preparation, comprising: 
 a tray to be handled, the tray comprising a bottom wall located at a lower edge of the tray, a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, the side wall having an upper edge and including a peripheral wing projecting outwardly from the upper edge, at least the side wall being made of a food-grade silicone material,    a first stiffening element secured to the tray near the upper edge for improving the handling of the tray by said upper edge,    a second stiffening element secured to the tray near the lower edge of the tray, whereby the side wall is folded on itself and said first and second stiffening elements are brought towards each other for removing the culinary preparation out of the mould.    
   
   
       2 . The flexible mould according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second stiffening elements are covered with a protective layer for allowing the mould to be heated in a microwave oven.  
   
   
       3 . The flexible mould according to  claim 1 , wherein the side wall has an essentially uniform thickness.  
   
   
       4 . The flexible mould according to  claim 1 , wherein the side wall and bottom wall have an inner surface in contact with the culinary preparation, and said inner surface is free of any undercut.  
   
   
       5 . The flexible mould according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the bottom wall and the peripheral wing of the tray are also made of a food-grade silicone material,    the tray is a one-piece sheet-like self-supporting tray,    the side wall has a uniform thickness, and    the second stiffening element is a ring located in the vicinity of a junction between the bottom wall and the side wall.    
   
   
       6 . The flexible mould according to  claim 1 , wherein the second stiffening element is a plate defining at least a part of the bottom wall of the tray.  
   
   
       7 . The flexible mould according to  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the bottom wall has an upper surface directed to the inside of the tray, and a lower surface, and    at said upper surface, the plate is covered with an anti-adhesive layer.    
   
   
       8 . The flexible mould according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 at least one of the bottom wall and the side wall of the tray has a groove, and    the second stiffening element is a ring secured in said groove.    
   
   
       9 . The flexible mould according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one of the bottom wall and the side wall of the tray has a groove, and    the second stiffening element is removably disposed in said groove.    
   
   
       10 . A flexible mould for food, comprising: 
 a flexible one-piece sheet-like tray to be handled and made of a food-grade silicone material, the tray comprising a bottom wall located at a lower edge of the tray, a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, the side wall having an upper edge and including a peripheral wing projecting outwardly from the upper edge,    a first stiffening element secured to the tray near the upper edge for improving the handling of the tray by said upper edge,    a second stiffening element secured to the tray near the lower edge of the tray, the first and second stiffening elements being covered with said silicone material, for allowing the mould to be heated in a microwave oven.    
   
   
       11 . The flexible mould according to  claim 10 , wherein the side wall and bottom wall have an inner surface adapted to be in contact with a culinary preparation, and said inner surface is free of any undercut.  
   
   
       12 . The flexible mould according to  claim 10 , wherein the second stiffening element is embedded within said silicone material near the periphery of the bottom wall for preventing inward radial distortion of the silicone material in the vicinity of the location of the second stiffening element.  
   
   
       13 . The flexible mould according to  claim 10 , wherein the second stiffening element is a plate extending along the bottom wall.  
   
   
       14 . A flexible mould for food, comprising: 
 a tray to be handled and made of a flexible, food grade elastomer material to be heated in one of a conventional culinary oven and a microwave culinary oven, the tray comprising a bottom wall located at a lower edge of the tray, a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, the side wall having an upper edge and including a wing projecting outwardly from the upper edge,    a first stiffening element secured to the tray near the upper edge for improving the handling of the tray by said upper edge,    a second stiffening element secured to the tray near the lower edge of the tray, so that, for removing out of said tray a culinary preparation previously disposed therein and heated in said oven, the side wall is folded on itself and said first and second stiffening elements are brought towards each other.    
   
   
       15 . The flexible mould according to  claim 14 , wherein the side wall and the bottom wall have an inner surface in contact with the culinary preparation, and said inner surface is free of any undercut.  
   
   
       16 . The flexible mould according to  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the tray is a flexible one-piece sheet-like tray, and    the first and second stiffening elements are covered with the material of the tray for allowing the mould to be heated in a microwave oven.    
   
   
       17 . The flexible mould according to  claim 14 , wherein the flexible, food grade elastomer material comprises a silicone obtained by a process of cross-linking with platinum.  
   
   
       18 . The flexible mould according to  claim 14 , wherein the side wall has an essentially uniform thickness.  
   
   
       19 . The flexible mould according to  claim 14 , wherein the tray is heated in a microwave oven and both the first and second stiffening elements are covered with a protective layer for allowing the mould to be heated in said microwave oven.  
   
   
       20 . The flexible mould according to  claim 19 , wherein the tray is made of a silicone material, and the protective layer of the first and second stiffening elements is made of the silicone material of the tray.  
   
   
       21 . The flexible mould according to  claim 14 , wherein the side wall of the tray has a uniform thickness.  
   
   
       22 . The flexible mould according to  claim 14 , wherein the wing of the tray is provided with an open seat and the first stiffening element is disposed within said seat.  
   
   
       23 . The flexible mould according to  claim 14 , wherein the first and second stiffening elements are made of one of a rigid plastic material and metal.  
   
   
       24 . The flexible mould according to  claim 7 , wherein the anti-adhesive layer includes polytetrafluorethylene.