Microwaveable Carton Having Multiple Focused Susceptors

• US 20100072197A1
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: H.J. Heinz Company Brands LLC (The Kraft Heinz Company)
• Original Assignee: H.J. Heinz Company (The Kraft Heinz Company)
• Inventors: DeNio, Stephen James, Sitterly, Eric, Amefia, Akou, Gunzburger, Randy, Neff, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 8,759,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/730
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3406 Pizza or bread
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3464 Microwave reactive material applied by ink printing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3466 Microwave reactive material applied by vacuum, sputter or vapor deposition
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3472 Aluminium or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3487 Reflection, Absorption and Transmission [RAT] properties of the microwave reactive package
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3495 attached to the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3497 attached to the side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3498 attached to the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5455 the lines of weakness being provided in a closure hinged to an edge of the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups

Abstract

A carton including multiple focused susceptors can be configured to provide multiple heating configurations for microwave heating of a packaged food product. In at least one heating configuration, the microwave susceptors are arranged such that food product has a softer texture when heated. In a second heating configuration, the microwave susceptors such that the food product has a crispier texture when heated. In use a consumer can select any of the multiple carton configurations for heating the food product.

Claims

1. A carton having multiple susceptors comprising:

a blank comprising a bottom panel, a top panel, a back panel, side panels, and an inner front panel; and

multiple susceptors,

wherein the carton having multiple susceptors is configured to provide at least two different heating configurations and at least two different heating methods.

2. The carton of claim 1, wherein the carton is formed of paperboard.

3. The carton of claim 1, wherein the carton provides a first heating configuration and a second heating configuration.

4. The carton of claim 3, wherein the first heating configuration heats food products at least partially via radiant heat to produce soft food products.

5. The carton of claim 3, wherein the second heating configuration heats food products by microwave energy and conductive heat energy to produce crispy food products.

6. The carton of claim 1, wherein the carton is sized and configured to contain a food product.

7. The carton of claim 6, wherein the food product is selected from the group consisting of leavened bread products, unleavened bread products, and combinations thereof.

8. The carton of claim 6, wherein the carton includes a non-contact space between the food product and the top panel, back panel, side panels, and inner front panel of the carton.

9. The carton of claim 8, wherein the non-contact space ranges in height from about 0.125 inch to about 0.75 inch.

10. The carton of claim 1, wherein the at least four susceptors are about 20% patterned to about 100% patterned.

11. The carton of claim 1, wherein one of the at least four susceptors is patterned and three of the at least four susceptors are substantially continuous, solid susceptors.

12. The carton of claim 1, further including a food product having a bread product portion and a topping portion, where the topping portion and the bread product portion have a weight ratio of about 1:

2.

13. The carton of claim 1, wherein the susceptors have an optical density of about 0.20 to about 0.28.

14. The carton of claim 1, wherein the susceptors are formed of an aluminum film.

15. The carton of claim 1, wherein the carton is a top load carton.

16. The carton of claim 1, wherein the carton is a side load carton.

17. The carton of claim 1, wherein the susceptors attain a temperature of about 250°

F. to about 450°

F. during heating.

18. A method of heating a food product using a package having an openable top, microwave susceptor surfaces on two major panels of the package, and microwave susceptor surfaces on opposed side panels of the package comprising the steps of:

opening the package to expose the food product;

selecting one of two heating techniques;

where the first technique is selected,

closing the package to enclose the food product,

applying microwave energy to the package to generate radiant heat from the susceptor surfaces directed toward the food product, so as to radiantly heat the food product,

wherein the second technique is selected,

removing the openable top from the package,

inverting the package so that the bottom surface faces upwardly,

placing the openable top on the inverted package with the susceptor facing upwardly,

placing the food product on the openable top, and

applying microwave energy to the package to heat the food product to a predetermined temperature substantially with microwave energy while causing a bottom surface of the food product to be heated by conduction from the susceptor; and

removing the heated food product from the package for serving.

20. The method of claim 18, further including applying at least one contact susceptor operable to engage a bottom surface of a food product.

21. The method of claim 18, further including applying multiple non-contact susceptors, wherein the non-contact susceptors are operable in one of two heating configurations to radiantly heat the food products.

19. A method of making a carton having multiple susceptors comprising:

forming a blank comprising a bottom panel, a top panel, a back panel, side panels, and a front panel; and

applying multiple susceptors to the blank,

wherein the carton having multiple susceptors is configured to provide at least two different heating configurations and at least two different heating methods.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least four susceptors are applied to the bottom panel, top panel and side panels of the carton.