Microwave interactive display package

• US 20070102424A1
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Keefe, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 7,345,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/725
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3498 attached to the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4204 Inspection openings or windows
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/0433 the inner container being a tray or like shallow container, not formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks B65D81/3862 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups

Abstract

Various microwave energy interactive display packages, blanks for forming such packages, and methods of displaying and heating a food item are provided.

Claims

1. A blank for forming a package, comprising:

a plurality of panels joined along fold lines, the plurality of panels including a microwave energy interactive panel and a display panel, wherein the microwave energy interactive panel and the display panel are positioned to be in an opposed, facing relation with respect to one another when the blank is formed into a package.

2. The blank of claim 1, wherein the plurality of panels further includes a first side panel and a second side panel, wherein the microwave energy interactive panel is positioned between and juxtaposed with the first side panel and the second side panel, and wherein the display panel is joined to the second side panel in a juxtaposed relation.

3. The blank of claim 2, further comprising at least one slit extending between the display panel and the second side panel.

4. The blank of claim 1, further comprising a glue flap joined to the display panel.

5. The blank of claim 3, further comprising at least one slit extending from an edge of the glue flap into the display panel and at least one slit extending from an edge of the first side panel into the first side panel.

6. The blank of claim 1, wherein the display panel includes a display window.

7. The blank of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive panel comprises a microwave energy interactive material.

8. The blank of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive panel comprises a susceptor.

9. A package formed from the blank of claim 1.

10. A package for displaying and heating a food item therein, comprising:

a plurality of adjoined panels defining a cavity and at least one opening, the adjoined panels including a microwave energy interactive panel and a display panel, wherein the microwave energy interactive panel and the display panel are in an opposed, facing relation, and wherein the display panel comprises a display window.

11. The package of claim 10, wherein a susceptor overlies at least a portion of the microwave energy interactive panel.

12. The package of claim 10, further comprising at least one locking feature.

13. The package of claim 10, wherein the adjoined panels further include a first side panel and a second side panel, each being joined to the microwave energy interactive panel and the display panel along respective edges.

14. The package of claim 10, further comprising at least one slit extending through the display panel and the first side panel and at least one slit extending though the display panel and the second side panel.

15. A method of heating a food item in the package of claim 10, the method comprising:

providing a food item having a surface to be browned or crisped;

placing the surface to be browned or crisped in intimate or proximate contact with the microwave energy interactive panel; and

exposing the food item within the package to microwave energy.

16. A system for displaying and heating a food item comprising:

a sleeve comprising a plurality of adjoined panels defining an interior and at least one opening, the adjoined panels including a microwave energy interactive panel and a display panel in a spaced apart, opposed, facing relation with respect to one another,

wherein the microwave energy interactive panel comprises a susceptor material facing the interior of the sleeve, and

wherein the display panel comprises a display window; and

a tray dimensioned to be received through the opening into the interior of the sleeve.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the tray comprises a microwave energy interactive material.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the sleeve comprises at least one locking feature capable of securing the tray within the sleeve.

19. A method of displaying and heating a food item, comprising:

providing a food item having a surface to be browned and/or crisped, wherein the surface to be browned and/or crisped is also a surface to be displayed;

providing a package comprising a plurality of adjoined panels defining an interior and at least one opening, the plurality of adjoined panels including a microwave energy interactive panel and an opposed display panel, the display panel including a display window;

inserting the food item into the package such that the surface to be displayed can be viewed through the display window;

removing the food item from the package prior to heating the food item in a microwave oven;

positioning the food item within the package so the surface to be browned and/or crisped is in intimate and/or proximate contact with the microwave energy interactive panel; and

exposing the food item to microwave energy.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising engaging at least one locking feature capable of retaining the food item within the interior of the package.

21. A system for displaying and heating a food item comprising:

a flexible sleeve having an interior and at least one opening, the flexible sleeve including a microwave energy interactive portion and a display portion in a spaced apart, opposed, facing relation with respect to one another, wherein the microwave energy interactive portion comprises a susceptor material facing the interior of the sleeve, and the display portion comprises a transparent display window; and

a tray dimensioned to be received through the opening into the interior of the sleeve.

22. A package for displaying and heating, browning, and/or crisping a food item in a microwave oven, comprising:

a plurality of adjoined panels defining a cavity and at least one opening, the adjoined panels including a pair of opposed main panels and a pair of opposed side panels, wherein

a first panel of the pair of opposed main panels is a display panel comprising a transparent viewing window, and

a second panel of the pair of opposed main panels is a microwave energy interactive panel comprising a susceptor.

23. The package of claim 22, wherein the transparent viewing window comprises an aperture in the first panel.

24. The package of claim 22, wherein the transparent viewing window comprises a polymer film.

25. The package of claim 22, wherein

the transparent viewing window is a first transparent window, and

the first panel further comprises a second transparent viewing window.

26. The package of claim 22, further comprising:

at least one slit extending through the first panel and a first side panel of the pair of opposed side panels; and

at least one slit extending through the first panel and a second panel of the pair of opposed side panels.

27. The package of claim 22, in combination with a tray dimensioned to be received within the cavity.

28. The package of claim 22, wherein

in a first configuration, the transparent viewing window reveals at least a portion of the food item intended to be browned and/or crisped, and

in a second configuration inverted from the first configuration, the susceptor is substantially aligned with and proximate to at least the portion of the food item intended to be browned and/or crisped.

29. A method of using the package of claim 22, comprising:

providing a food item having a surface to be browned and/or crisped, wherein the surface to be browned and/or crisped is also a surface to be displayed;

inserting the food item into the package such that the surface to be displayed can be viewed through the transparent viewing window;

removing the food item from the package prior to heating the food item in a microwave oven;

inverting the package;

inserting the food item into the package such that the surface to be browned and/or crisped is in intimate and/or proximate contact with the susceptor; and

exposing the food item to microwave energy in a microwave oven.

30. A package for displaying and heating, browning, and/or crisping a food item in a microwave oven, comprising:

a plurality of adjoined panels defining a cavity for receiving the food item therein, the food item including at least one surface intended to be browned and/or crisped,

wherein the plurality of panels includes

a first panel comprising a viewing window positioned to display at least a portion of the surface of the food item intended to be browned and/or crisped, with the package in a first configuration, and

a second panel in an opposed, facing relation to the first panel, the second panel including a microwave energy interactive material positioned to be aligned with at least a portion of the surface of the food item intended to be browned and/or crisped, with the package in a second, inverted configuration, and

wherein the microwave energy interactive material generates thermal energy when exposed to microwave energy.

31. The package of claim 30, wherein the viewing window comprises an opening extending through the first panel.

32. The package of claim 30, wherein a polymer film overlies the viewing window.

33. The package of claim 30, wherein

the viewing window is a first viewing window, and

the first panel further comprises at least a second viewing window.

34. The package of claim 30, wherein

the plurality of panels further includes a first side panel and a second side panel in an opposed relation,

at least a first slit extends continuously through the first panel and the first side panel, and

at least a second slit extends continuously though the first panel and the second side panel.

35. The package of claim 34, wherein the first slit and the second slit each define a locking feature for securing a tray within the cavity.

36. The package of claim 30, in combination with a tray dimensioned to be received within the cavity.

37. A method of using the package of claim 30, comprising:

inserting the food item into the cavity, with the package in the first configuration, such that the surface to be browned and/or crisped can be viewed through the viewing window;

removing the food item from the package prior to heating the food item in a microwave oven;

inverting the package, and not the food item, into the second configuration;

inserting the food item into the package such that the surface to be browned and/or crisped is in intimate and/or proximate contact with the microwave energy interactive material; and

exposing the food item to microwave energy in a microwave oven.

38. A package comprising a plurality of adjoined panels defining a cavity for receiving a food item, the food item including at least one surface intended to be browned and/or crisped in a microwave oven, wherein

the plurality of adjoined panels includes

a first panel including a transparent viewing window, and

a second panel opposed to the first panel,

the package includes a microwave energy interactive material overlying at least a portion of the second panel, the microwave energy interactive material being capable of converting microwave energy to thermal energy,

in a first configuration, the transparent viewing window displays at least a portion of the surface of the food item intended to be browned and/or crisped, and

in a second configuration inverted from the first configuration, the microwave energy interactive material is adjacent to at least a portion of the surface of the food item intended to be browned and/or crisped.

39. The package of claim 38, wherein the transparent viewing window comprises an aperture circumscribed by the first panel.

40. The package of claim 38, wherein a substantially transparent polymer film overlies the transparent viewing window.

41. The package of claim 38, wherein

the transparent viewing window is a first transparent viewing window, and

the first panel includes a second transparent viewing window.

42. The package of claim 38, wherein

the plurality of panels further includes a first side panel and a second side panel in an opposed relation,

at least a first slit extends continuously through the first panel and the first side panel, and

at least a second slit extends continuously though the first panel and the second side panel.

43. The package of claim 42, wherein the first slit and the second slit each define a locking feature for securing a tray within the cavity.

44. The package of claim 38, in combination with a tray dimensioned to be received within the cavity.

45. A method of using the package of claim 38, comprising:

inserting the food item into the package such that the surface to be browned and/or crisped can be seen through the transparent viewing window;

removing the food item from the package prior to heating the food item in a microwave oven;

inverting the package;

inserting the food item into the package such that the surface to be browned and/or crisped is positioned adjacent to the microwave energy interactive material; and

exposing the food item to microwave energy in a microwave oven.