How Cup Noodles Are Designed to Cook Perfectly
A 1976 patent describing the specific shape, density, and placement of dehydrated noodles inside a cup to ensure they cook evenly and quickly when hot water is added.
Original patent title: “Instant-cooking cupped noodles and a method of producing the same”
A 1976 patent describing the specific shape, density, and placement of dehydrated noodles inside a cup to ensure they cook evenly and quickly when hot water is added. Granted to Nissin Shokuhin KK in 1976 with 12 claims and 22 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details a method for creating a 'noodle lump' that fits perfectly inside a tapered, heat-insulating cup. By frying the noodles in a specific mold, the process creates a lump that is denser at the top and less dense at the bottom. When placed in the cup, the lump is suspended so it does not touch the bottom, allowing hot water to pool underneath and heat the noodles from below. The dense top layer acts as a lid to trap steam, which helps the noodles cook thoroughly in just a few minutes.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover instant noodles sold in plastic bags or bricks that are not pre-shaped for a specific cup.
- Does not cover noodle cooking methods that rely on microwave energy rather than hot water immersion.
- Does not cover non-fried noodle dehydration processes like air-drying or freeze-drying.
- Does not cover cups that are not heat-insulating or do not utilize a tapered, friction-fit design.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The genius is in the density gradient: by making the top of the noodle lump denser, the inventorinventorThe person who actually conceived the invention. Listed on the patent regardless of who owns it.Read more → created a self-sealing heat trap that keeps the steam inside the cup, ensuring the noodles at the top cook as fast as those at the bottom.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Nissin Cup Noodles
Most standard instant noodle cups found in grocery stores
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is the technical blueprint for the modern Cup Noodles product, which revolutionized convenience food by integrating the cooking vessel with the meal itself. It solved the problem of uneven cooking in instant noodles, ensuring that a quick pour of water could hydrate a dense block of noodles without requiring a stove.
Filed
March 19, 1976
Granted
December 14, 1976
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Nissin Foods remains the primary developer of this technology, having scaled the process globally. Many private-label manufacturers and competitors like Maruchan have adopted similar cup-based dehydration and packaging geometries to compete in the instant meal market.
Market impact
This patent established the global standard for the 'cup' format of instant noodles, creating a massive convenience food category that persists today. It effectively defined the physical requirements for shelf-stable, single-serve hot meals that are now a staple in retail and vending channels worldwide.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details a method for creating a 'noodle lump' that fits perfectly inside a tapered, heat-insulating cup. By frying the noodles in a specific mold, the process creates a lump that is denser at the top and less dense at the bottom. When placed in the cup, the lump is suspended so it does not touch the bottom, allowing hot water to pool underneath and heat the noodles from below. The dense top layer acts as a lid to trap steam, which helps the noodles cook thoroughly in just a few minutes.
The clever bit
The genius is in the density gradient: by making the top of the noodle lump denser, the inventor created a self-sealing heat trap that keeps the steam inside the cup, ensuring the noodles at the top cook as fast as those at the bottom.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover instant noodles sold in plastic bags or bricks that are not pre-shaped for a specific cup.
- Does not cover noodle cooking methods that rely on microwave energy rather than hot water immersion.
- Does not cover non-fried noodle dehydration processes like air-drying or freeze-drying.
- Does not cover cups that are not heat-insulating or do not utilize a tapered, friction-fit design.
Patent Journey
From filing to expiry
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
27/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
8/20
Moderate scope
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$25K – $79K
Midpoint $50K · expired or expiring · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
12 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Ando, M. (1976). How Cup Noodles Are Designed to Cook Perfectly (U.S. Patent No. 3,997,676). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3997676/cup-noodles-instant-ramen-ando
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Cup Noodles Are Designed to Cook Perfectly cover?
A 1976 patent describing the specific shape, density, and placement of dehydrated noodles inside a cup to ensure they cook evenly and quickly when hot water is added.
Who owns patent US 3997676?
Nissin Shokuhin KK owns this patent, granted in 1976.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 3997676 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 22 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is the technical blueprint for the modern Cup Noodles product, which revolutionized convenience food by integrating the cooking vessel with the meal itself. It solved the problem of uneven cooking in instant noodles, ensuring that a quick pour of water could hydrate a dense block of noodles without requiring a stove.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover instant noodles sold in plastic bags or bricks that are not pre-shaped for a specific cup.
Patent monitoring