Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A casing for foodstuffs, comprising: a web material formed into a tubular casing by curving the longitudinally running edges of said web material around the longitudinal axis of said web material and meeting or overlapping said edges to form a seam, wherein said web material comprises a fiber-reinforced regenerated cellulose comprising, in the wet remoistened state, in the longitudinal direction of the web, a breaking strength of about 15 to 30 N/mm 2 and an elongation at break of about 30 to 50% and, in the transverse direction of the web, a breaking strength of about 15 to 35 N/mm 2 and an elongation at break of about 30 to 50%, the breaking strength in the transverse direction of the web being equal to or greater than the breaking strength in the longitudinal direction of said web; a film strip covering the regions adjacent to said edges whereby said film strip bonds said edges of said cellulose film and wherein said film strip comprises fiber-reinforced regenerated cellulose having the same values as said web material with respect to said breaking strength and elongation at break and having, at least on the surface coming into contact with said tubular casing, a layer containing a gas-impermeable and sealable material; and a substantially gas-impermeable and sealable layer on the surface of said tubular casing facing said film strip.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A casing for foodstuffs, comprising: a web material formed into a tubular casing by curving the longitudinally running edges of said web material around the longitudinal axis of said web material and meeting or overlapping said edges to form a seam, wherein said web material comprises a fiber-reinforced regenerated cellulose comprising, in the wet remoistened state, in the longitudinal direction of the web, a breaking strength of about 15 to 30 N/mm 2 and an elongation at break of about 30 to 50% and, in the transverse direction of the web, a breaking strength of about 15 to 35 N/mm 2 and an elongation at break of about 30 to 50%, the breaking strength in the transverse direction of the web being equal to or greater than the breaking strength in the longitudinal direction of said web; a film strip covering the regions adjacent to said edges whereby said film strip bonds said edges of said cellulose film and wherein said film strip comprises fiber-reinforced regenerated cellulose having the same values as said web material with respect to said breaking strength and elongation at break and having, at least on the surface coming into contact with said tubular casing, a layer containing a gas-impermeable and sealable material; and a substantially gas-impermeable and sealable layer on the surface of said tubular casing facing said film strip.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A casing as defined in claim 1, wherein said gas-impermeable and sealable surface layer comprises a thermoplastic polymer or copolymer comprising at least about 5% by weight of vinylidene chloride.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A casing as defined in claim 2, wherein said thermoplastic polymer or copolymer comprises at least about 80% by weight of vinylidene chloride.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A casing as defined in claim 2 further comprising an adhesion promoting layer between said casing and said gas-impermeable and sealable surface layer comprising a cured cationic thermosetting resin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
A casing as defined in claim 4, wherein said thermoplastic resin is selected from the group comprising a urea/formaldehyde resin, a melamine/formaldehyde resin, a phenyl/formaldehyde resin or a condensation product of a polyamide-polyamine, aliphatic polyamine or polyamide and a bifunctional halohydrin or a derivative thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
A casing as defined in claim 5, wherein said halohydrin comprises epichlorohydrin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A casing as defined in claim 1, 2 or 5, wherein both sides of said film strip comprise a gas-impermeable and sealable surface layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
A casing as defined in claim 1, whereirn said casing is shirred.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A casing as defined in claim 8, wherein the shirring ratio is at least about 1:70.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
A casing as defined in claim 1, wherein said web material comprises, in the wet state, a breaking strength of about 20 to 30 N/mm 2 , in said longitudinal direction and a breaking strength of about 25 to 35 N/mm 2 in said transverse direction, the breaking strength being greater in said transverse direction than in said longitudinal direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A casing as defined in claim 1, wherein said web material, in the wet state, comprises an elongation at break of about 30 to 40% in said longitudinal and transverse directions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
238 words
A casing for foodstuffs, comprising: a web material formed into a tubular casing by curving the longitudinally running edges of said web material around the longitudinal axis of said web material and meeting or overlapping said edges to form a seam, wherein said web material comprises a fiber-reinforced regenerated cellulose comprising, in the dry state at a residual moisture content of about 8 to 10% by weight and a glycerol content of about 20 to 24% by weight in the longitudinal direction of the web, a breaking strength of about 50 to 70 N/mm 2 and, in the transverse direction of the web, a breaking strength of about 50 to 75 N/mm 2 and an elongation at break of about 30 to 50%, the breaking strength in the transverse direction of the web being equal to or greater than the breaking strength in the longitudinal direction of said web; a film strip covering the regions close to said edges whereby said film strip bonds said edges of said cellulose film and wherein said film strip comprises fiber-reinforced regenerated cellulose having the same values as said web material with respect to said breaking strength and elongation at break and having, at least on the surface coming into contact with said tubular casing, a layer containing a gas-impermeable and sealable material; and a substantially gas-impermeable and sealable layer on the entire surface of said tubular casing facing said film strip.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
238 words
A casing for foodstuffs, comprising: a web material formed into a tubular casing by curving the longitudinally running edges of said web material around the longitudinal axis of said web material and meeting or overlapping said edges to form a seam, wherein said web material comprises a fiber-reinforced regenerated cellulose comprising, in the dry state at a residual moisture content of about 8 to 10% by weight and a glycerol content of about 20 to 24% by weight in the longitudinal direction of the web, a breaking strength of about 50 to 70 N/mm 2 and, in the transverse direction of the web, a breaking strength of about 50 to 75 N/mm 2 and an elongation at break of about 30 to 50%, the breaking strength in the transverse direction of the web being equal to or greater than the breaking strength in the longitudinal direction of said web; a film strip covering the regions close to said edges whereby said film strip bonds said edges of said cellulose film and wherein said film strip comprises fiber-reinforced regenerated cellulose having the same values as said web material with respect to said breaking strength and elongation at break and having, at least on the surface coming into contact with said tubular casing, a layer containing a gas-impermeable and sealable material; and a substantially gas-impermeable and sealable layer on the entire surface of said tubular casing facing said film strip.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A casing as defined in claim 12, wherein said breaking strength in said longitudinal direction is about 55 to 65 N/mm 2 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A casing as defined in claim 12, wherein said web material comprises an elongation at break of about 8 to 9%.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A casing as defined in claim 14, wherein said web material comprises an elongation at break of about 8 to 12%.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A casing as defined in claim 1 or 12, wherein said film strip is applied to the inner surface of said tubular casing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A casing as defined in claim 1 or 12, wherein said film strip is applied to the outer surface of said tubular casing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
A casing as defined in claim 12, wherein said casing is shirred.