Stay-flat sheet pan

Abstract

A method for making a flat sheet pan includes providing a piece of material having known dimensions; and forming a baking surface therein; forming an upwardly extending tension bow in the baking surface for providing structural reinforcement to the baking surface; forming a sidewall portion that surrounds the entire baking surface and defines an interior surface of the sheet pan and an exterior surface of the sheet pan; forming a structural reinforcement rib in the sidewall portion; providing a band of material that surrounds an entire upper region of the sidewall portion above the structural reinforcement rib that is operative to provide structural reinforcement to the sheet pan; rolling the topmost region of the sidewall portion downward and away from the baking surface to form a rim having an outside portion that defines the outer edge of the sheet pan and an inside portion that abuts the sidewall portion on the exterior surface of the sheet pan; and completely enclosing the band of material within the rim by crimping the inside portion of the rim against the exterior surface of the sheet pan for creating a seal that prevents contaminants from entering the interior of the rim.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for making a flat sheet pan, comprising:
 (a) providing a piece of material having known dimensions;   (b) forming a baking surface in the piece of material;   (c) forming an upwardly extending tension bow in the baking surface, wherein the upwardly-extending tension bow is operative to provide structural reinforcement to the baking surface;   (d) forming a sidewall portion, wherein the sidewall portion surrounds the baking surface in its entirety and defines an interior surface of the sheet pan and an exterior surface of the sheet pan;   (e) forming a structural reinforcement rib in the sidewall portion;   (f) providing a band of material that surrounds an entire upper region of the sidewall portion above the structural reinforcement rib, wherein the band of material is operative to provide structural reinforcement to the sheet pan;   (g) rolling the topmost region of the sidewall portion downward and away from the baking surface to form a rim, having:
 (i) an outside portion that defines the outer edge of the sheet pan, and 
 (ii) an inside portion, wherein the inside portion of the rim abuts the sidewall portion on the exterior surface of the sheet pan; and 
   (h) completely enclosing the band of material within the rim by crimping the inside portion of the rim against the exterior surface of the sheet pan, and wherein completely enclosing the band of material within the rim by crimping the inside portion of the rim against the exterior surface of the sheet pan creates a seal that prevents contaminants from entering the interior of the rim.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material is metal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet pan is manufactured from aluminum panel, tin-plated steel, aluminized steel, carbonized steel, stainless steel, titanium, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the band of material is manufactured from carbonized steel, aluminum, stainless steel, or combinations thereof 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the band of material is an aluminum flat wire band. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet pan further includes a release coating deposited on some or all of the surfaces thereof. A method for making a flat sheet pan, comprising:
 (a) providing a piece of metal having known dimensions;   (b) forming a baking surface in the piece of material;   (c) forming an upwardly extending tension bow in the baking surface, wherein the upwardly-extending tension bow is operative to provide structural reinforcement to the baking surface;   (d) forming a sidewall portion, wherein the sidewall portion surrounds the baking surface in its entirety and defines an interior surface of the sheet pan and an exterior surface of the sheet pan;   (e) forming a structural reinforcement rib in the sidewall portion;   (f) providing a band of material that surrounds an entire upper region of the sidewall portion above the structural reinforcement rib, wherein the band of material is a flat wire band, and wherein the flat wire band is operative to provide structural reinforcement to the sheet pan;   (g) rolling the topmost region of the sidewall portion downward and away from the baking surface to form a rim, having:
 (i) an outside portion that defines the outer edge of the sheet pan, and 
 (ii) an inside portion, wherein the inside portion of the rim abuts the sidewall portion on the exterior surface of the sheet pan; and 
   (h) completely enclosing the flat wire band within the rim by crimping the inside portion of the rim against the exterior surface of the sheet pan, and wherein completely enclosing the flat wire band within the rim by crimping the inside portion of the rim against the exterior surface of the sheet pan creates a seal that prevents contaminants from entering the interior of the rim.   
     
     
         8 . The method of claim  7 , wherein the sheet pan is manufactured from aluminum panel, tin-plated steel, aluminized steel, carbonized steel, stainless steel, titanium, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of claim  7 , wherein the flat wire band is manufactured from carbonized steel, aluminum, stainless steel, or combinations thereof 
     
     
         10 . The method of claim  7 , wherein the sheet pan further includes a release coating deposited on some or all of the surfaces thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method for making a flat sheet pan, comprising:
 (a) providing a piece of metal having known dimensions;   (b) forming a baking surface in the piece of material;   (c) forming an upwardly extending tension bow in the baking surface, wherein the upwardly-extending tension bow is operative to provide structural reinforcement to the baking surface;   (d) forming a sidewall portion, wherein the sidewall portion surrounds the baking surface in its entirety and defines an interior surface of the sheet pan and an exterior surface of the sheet pan;   (e) forming a structural reinforcement rib in the sidewall portion;   (f) providing a band of material that surrounds an entire upper region of the sidewall portion above the structural reinforcement rib, wherein the band of material is a flat wire band, and wherein the flat wire band is operative to provide structural reinforcement to the sheet pan;   (g) rolling the topmost region of the sidewall portion downward and away from the baking surface to form a rim, having:
 (i) an outside portion that defines the outer edge of the sheet pan, and 
 (ii) an inside portion, wherein the inside portion of the rim abuts the sidewall portion on the exterior surface of the sheet pan; 
   (h) completely enclosing the flat wire band within the rim by crimping the inside portion of the rim against the exterior surface of the sheet pan, and wherein completely enclosing the flat wire band within the rim by crimping the inside portion of the rim against the exterior surface of the sheet pan creates a seal that prevents contaminants from entering the interior of the rim; and   (i) depositing a release coating on some or all of the surfaces of the sheet pan.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the sheet pan is manufactured from aluminum panel, tin-plated steel, aluminized steel, carbonized steel, stainless steel, titanium, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the flat wire band is manufactured from carbonized steel, aluminum, stainless steel, or combinations thereof.