Construct for Browning and Crisping a Food Item in a Microwave Oven

• US 20100065556A1
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Cole, Lorin R.
• Application Number:
  US12/560,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20100065556A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/730
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3454 Microwave reactive layer having a specified optical density
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3472 Aluminium or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3479 Other metallic compounds, e.g. silver, gold, copper, nickel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3493 attached to the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3498 attached to the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/302 combined with a slot provided in an adjacent side wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5475 for dividing a "cross-like" container body into separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6494 for cooking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet

Abstract

A microwave heating construct comprises a base and a plurality of upstanding walls defining an interior space, a microwave energy interactive material overlying at least a portion of the base, and a line of disruption extending substantially across the base. The line of disruption defines a first section and a second section of the construct, each section of the construct being adapted to receive at least a portion of a food item.

Claims

1. A microwave heating construct, comprising:

a base and a plurality of upstanding walls defining an interior space for receiving a food item;

a microwave energy interactive material overlying at least a portion of the base; and

a line of disruption extending substantially across the base, the line of disruption defining a first section and a second section of the construct, each section of the construct including a portion of the base and at least one wall of the plurality of upstanding walls.

2. The construct of claim 1, wherein the walls of at least one of the first section and the second section include a chamfered portion adjacent to the line of disruption.

3. The construct of claim 1, wherein the walls of at least one of the first section and the second section include a portion that decreases in height towards the line of disruption.

4. The construct of claim 1, wherein the line of disruption substantially bisects the base.

5. The construct of claim 1, wherein the line of disruption serves as a hinge for pivoting the first section towards the second section.

6. The construct of claim 1, wherein

the line of disruption is a tear line;

and

the first section and the second section are adapted to be separated from one another along the tear line.

7. The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive material further overlies at least a portion of the walls on a side of the walls facing the interior space.

8. The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive material has an optical density of from about 0.21 to about 0.28.

9. The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive material is operative for converting at least a portion of microwave energy to thermal energy.

10. The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive material comprises aluminum.

11. A method of heating, browning, and/or crisping a food item in a microwave oven, comprising:

providing a food item having a first surface and a second surface to be browned and/or crisped, the first surface and the second surface being opposite one other;

providing a microwave heating construct including

a base and a plurality of upstanding walls defining an interior space,

a microwave energy interactive material overlying at least a portion of the base, the microwave energy interactive material being operative for converting microwave energy into thermal energy, and

a line of disruption extending substantially across the base, the line of disruption defining a first section and a second section of the construct; and

positioning a food item on the base such that the first surface of the food item is seated on the first section of the construct and the second surface of the food item is positioned on the second section of the construct.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising separating the food item into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including the first surface and the second portion including the second surface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein

the first portion of the food item is a top portion of the food item, and

the second portion of the food item is a bottom portion of the food item.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein

the first portion of the food item is an outer portion of the food item, and

the second portion of the food item is a filling.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising exposing the food item on the construct to microwave energy.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the microwave energy interactive material converts at least a portion of the microwave energy into thermal energy to brown and/or crisp the upper surface and lower surface of the food item.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising pivoting at least one of the first section and the second section along the line of disruption to bring the first portion and the second portion of the food item together.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the walls of at least one of the first section and the second section include a chamfered portion adjacent to the line of disruption.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the line of disruption is a tear line, and the method further comprises separating the first section and the second section from one another along the tear line.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising using at least one of the first section and the second section as a container for the food item.

21. A blank for forming a microwave heating construct, comprising:

a plurality of adjoined panels, each of the adjoined panels having a first dimension extending in a first direction and a second dimension extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the plurality of adjoined panels including

a first panel, the first panel including a line of disruption extending in the first direction, the line of disruption extending substantially between a pair of opposite edges of the first panel extending in the second direction, and

a second panel and a third panel foldably respectively joined to the opposite edges of the first panel, each of the second panel and the third panel including a notch adjacent to the line of disruption; and

a microwave energy interactive material joined to the first panel, the microwave energy interactive material being operative for converting at least a portion of microwave energy into thermal energy.

22. The blank of claim 21, wherein the notch is substantially triangular in shape, such that the notch defines a pair of chamfered edges of the respective panel adjacent to the line of disruption.