Breather filter for flexible boil-in and sterilization packages

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PACKAGING A BATCH OF HEAT PROCESSABLE COMMODITY IN A BAG-LIKE CONTAINER OF FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL HAVING AN OPEN MOUTH AT ONE END PROVIDED WITH OPPOSED HEAT SEALABLE SURFACES SPANNING THE MOUTH OPENING, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES, INTRODUCING THE COMMODITY BATCH INTO THE BAG THROUGH THE OPEN MOUTH, INITIALLY HEAT SEALING THE SAID SURFACES ACROSS THE MOUTH OPENING WHILE RETAINING A LOCAL BREATHING AND FILTERING PASSAGE BY POSITIONING A BREATHER FILLER ACROSS THE INTIAL SEAL SO AS TO BE COMMUNICABLE WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE BAG AND THE EXTERIOR THEREOF, PROCESSING THE COMMODITY BY HEATING THE CONFINED BATCH THROUGH THE BAG WALL WHILE VENTING THE BAG INTERIOR TO THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGH THE BREATHER FILTER TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE INFLATION OF THE BAG BY THE EXPANSION OF ITS HEATED CONTENTS, AND FINALLY HERMETICALLY HEAT SEALING THE BAG MOUTH SURFACES ENTIRELY ACROSS SAID MOUTH BEYOND AN END OF SAID BREATHER FILTER.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PACKAGING A BATCH OF HEAT PROCESSABLE COMMODITY IN A BAG-LIKE CONTAINER OF FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL HAVING AN OPEN MOUTH AT ONE END PROVIDED WITH OPPOSED HEAT SEALABLE SURFACES SPANNING THE MOUTH OPENING, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES, INTRODUCING THE COMMODITY BATCH INTO THE BAG THROUGH THE OPEN MOUTH, INITIALLY HEAT SEALING THE SAID SURFACES ACROSS THE MOUTH OPENING WHILE RETAINING A LOCAL BREATHING AND FILTERING PASSAGE BY POSITIONING A BREATHER FILLER ACROSS THE INTIAL SEAL SO AS TO BE COMMUNICABLE WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE BAG AND THE EXTERIOR THEREOF, PROCESSING THE COMMODITY BY HEATING THE CONFINED BATCH THROUGH THE BAG WALL WHILE VENTING THE BAG INTERIOR TO THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGH THE BREATHER FILTER TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE INFLATION OF THE BAG BY THE EXPANSION OF ITS HEATED CONTENTS, AND FINALLY HERMETICALLY HEAT SEALING THE BAG MOUTH SURFACES ENTIRELY ACROSS SAID MOUTH BEYOND AN END OF SAID BREATHER FILTER.