Package with enlarged base

• US 20100193509A1
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Fitzwater, Kelly R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,309,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/730
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/15 using wave energy, irradiation, electrical means or magnetic fields, e.g. oven cooking or roasting using radiant dry heat
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3472 Aluminium or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3474 Titanium or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3477 Iron or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3478 Stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3479 Other metallic compounds, e.g. silver, gold, copper, nickel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3494 Microwave susceptor B65D2581/3487 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0209 the tubular body having a curved or partially curved cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/54 Lines of weakness to facilitate opening of container or dividing it into separate parts by cutting or tearing B65D5/06, B65D5/5233, B65D5/5253 take precedence ; break-in flaps, or members adapted to be torn-off, to provide pouring openings B65D5/70
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/542 the lines of weakness being provided in the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups

Abstract

Various containers with an enlarged base for receiving a food item are provided. The containers may be formed from various sleeves for heating, browning, and crisping a food item. Blanks for forming such sleeves and containers also are provided. The blanks, sleeves, and/or containers may include a removable portion at least partially defined by a line of disruption.

Claims

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

a plurality of adjoined panels, each panel of the plurality of 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 main panel,

a first minor panel joined to the main panel,

a second minor panel joined to the main panel, and

a major panel joined to the first minor panel,

wherein the main panel, the first minor panel, the second minor panel, and the major panel are joined respectively to one another along a plurality of respective substantially parallel fold lines extending in the first direction, and

an end panel joined to the main panel along a substantially arcuate fold line extending generally in the second direction, wherein

the end panel has an end edge opposite the arcuate fold line, and

the second dimension of the end panel increases from the arcuate fold line to the end edge; and

a microwave energy interactive element overlying at least a portion of at least one of the adjoined panels.

2. The blank of claim 1, wherein the end panel includes a pair of opposed side edges that extend divergently from the arcuate fold line to the end edge.

3. The blank of claim 1, wherein the end edge is substantially arcuate in shape.

4. The blank of claim 3, wherein the end edge is outwardly arcuate in shape.

5. The blank of claim 1, wherein

the major panel is a first major panel, and

the plurality of adjoined panels further includes

a second major panel joined to the second minor panel along a fold line extending in the first direction,

a first partial end panel joined to the first major panel along a first curved fold line extending generally in the second direction, and

a second partial end panel joined to the second major panel along a second curved fold line extending generally in the second direction.

6. The blank of claim 5, wherein the first partial end panel and the second panel each include

an end edge opposite the respective curved fold line, and

a side edge that extends convergently from the respective curved fold line to the respective end edge.

7. The blank of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive element comprises a susceptor, a foil, a segmented foil, or any combination thereof.

8. The blank of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive element is operative for converting at least a portion of impinging microwave energy into thermal energy.

9. The blank of claim 1, further comprising a removable portion including at least a portion of at least one of the first main panel, the second main panel, the first minor panel, and the second minor panel.

10. The blank of claim 9, wherein the removable portion is defined at least partially by

a transverse tear line extending in the second direction substantially across the adjoined panels,

an oblique tear line substantially abutting the transverse tear line, and

a cutout adjacent to the oblique tear line.

11. The blank of claim 10, wherein

the cutout extends inwardly from a first peripheral edge of the blank extending in the second direction,

the cutout at least partially defines a tab adjacent to the first peripheral edge, and

the oblique tear line extends substantially between the tab and the transverse tear line.

12. The blank of claim 10, wherein the cutout is disposed distal from the first peripheral edge within at least one panel of the plurality of adjoined panels.

13. The blank of claim 9, wherein

the removable portion is defined at least partially by a tear line extending in the second direction substantially across the adjoined panels, and

the removable portion includes

a grasping feature extending from a first peripheral edge of the blank extending in the first direction, and

a cutout along a second peripheral edge extending in the first direction opposite the first peripheral edge, the cutout being substantially opposite the grasping feature.

14. The blank of claim 13, wherein

the removable portion is a first removable portion,

the tear line is a first tear line,

the grasping feature is a first grasping feature,

the cutout is a first cutout, and

the blank further includes a second removable portion defined at least partially by a second tear line extending in the second direction substantially across the adjoined panels, the second removable portion including

a second grasping feature extending from the first peripheral edge of the blank, and

a second cutout along the second peripheral edge opposite the second grasping feature.

15. The blank of claim 9, wherein

the removable portion is defined at least partially by a tear line extending in the second direction substantially across the adjoined panels, and

the removable portion includes a grasping feature defined at least partially by a line of disruption in the second minor panel.

16. The blank of claim 15, wherein the line of disruption comprises a substantially arcuate slit including a pair of ends disposed substantially along the fold line adjoining the main panel and the second minor panel.

17. The blank of claim 9, wherein

the removable portion is a first removable portion of a plurality of removable portions defined at least partially by a plurality of tear lines,

each tear line of the plurality of tear lines has a first end and a second end,

each tear line independently extends obliquely across at least a portion of least one of the plurality of adjoined panels, and

at least one of the first end and the second end of each tear line of the plurality of tear lines substantially abuts a peripheral edge of the blank.

18. The blank of claim 9, wherein

at least some of the substantially parallel fold lines extending in the first direction are tear lines, and

the removable portion is defined at least partially by

a first tear line that extends in the first direction and adjoins a first pair of adjacent panels of the plurality of adjoined panels, and

a second tear line that extends in the first direction and adjoins a second pair of adjacent panels of the plurality of adjoined panels.

19. The blank of claim 18, wherein the first dimension of at least one of the first minor panel and the second minor panel is greater than the first dimension of the main panel.

20. The blank of claim 9, wherein the removable portion is defined at least partially by a line of disruption initiating and terminating proximate a first peripheral edge of the blank opposite the arcuate end edge.

21. The blank of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the line of disruption extends into the end panel.

33. The construct of claim 2, wherein the cutout extends inwardly from a first end of the construct and at least partially defines a tab.

22. A microwave heating construct, comprising:

a first main panel and a second main panel in an opposed configuration;

a first minor panel and a second minor panel in an opposed configuration, the first minor panel and the second minor panel being joined to the first main panel and the second main panel along respective fold lines to at least partially define an interior space;

a microwave energy interactive element overlying at least a portion of at least one of the first main panel, second main panel, first minor panel, and second minor panel on a side of the respective panel facing the interior space; and

a first end panel foldably joined to the first main panel, the first end panel including a pair of opposed side edges that extend divergently from the first main panel.

23. The construct of claim 22, further comprising a second end panel foldably joined to the second main panel, the second end panel including a pair of opposed side edges that extend convergently from the second main panel.

24. The construct of claim 23, wherein the first end panel and the second end panel are foldably joined to the first main panel and the second main panel along respective arcuate fold lines.

25. The construct of claim 23, wherein the first end panel and the second end panel are adapted to be folded toward the interior space in a superposed configuration.

26. The construct of claim 23, wherein the first end panel includes an arcuate end edge that extends between the pair of opposed side edges of the first end panel.

27. The construct of claim 23, wherein the second end panel includes a substantially linear end edge that extends between the pair of opposed side edges of the second end panel.

28. The construct of claim 27, wherein a locking feature extends from the substantially linear edge of the second end panel, the locking feature being adapted to be received within a slot in the first end panel.

29. The construct of claim 23, wherein the microwave energy interactive element comprises a susceptor, a foil, a segmented foil, or any combination thereof.

30. The construct of claim 23, wherein the microwave energy interactive element is operative for converting at least a portion of impinging microwave energy into thermal energy.

31. The construct of claim 22, further comprising a removable portion including at least a portion of at least one of the first main panel, the second main panel, the first minor panel, and the second minor panel.

32. The construct of claim 31, wherein the removable portion is defined at least partially by

a transverse tear line extending substantially across at least one of the adjoined panels,

an oblique tear line substantially abutting the transverse tear line, and

a cutout adjacent to the oblique tear line.

34. The construct of claim 32, wherein the cutout is disposed within at least one of the first main panel, second main panel, first minor panel, and second minor panel distal from a first end of the construct.

35. The construct of claim 31, wherein

the removable portion is defined at least partially by a transverse tear line extending substantially across each of the first main panel, the second main panel, first minor panel, and second minor panel, and

the removable portion includes a grasping feature projecting from at least one of the first main panel and the second main panel distal from the fold lines adjoining the respective main panel to the first minor panel and the second minor panel.

36. The construct of claim 35, wherein

the removable portion is a first removable portion,

the transverse tear line is a first transverse tear line,

the grasping feature is a first grasping feature, and

the construct further includes a second removable portion adjacent to the first removable portion, wherein

the second removable portion is defined at least partially by a second transverse tear line extending substantially across each of the first main panel,

the second main panel, first minor panel, and second minor panel, and the second removable portion includes a second grasping feature projecting from at least one of the first main panel and the second main panel distal from the fold lines adjoining the respective main panel to the first minor panel and the second minor panel.

37. The construct of claim 31, wherein

the removable portion is defined at least partially by a transverse tear line extending substantially across at least the first main panel and the second main panel, and

the removable portion includes a grasping feature defined by a line of disruption in the second minor panel.

38. The construct of claim 31, wherein the removable portion is defined at least partially by a line of disruption extending obliquely across at least one of the first main panel, the second main panel, the first minor panel, and the second minor panel.

39. The construct of claim 31, wherein

at least one of the fold lines adjoining the first main panel, the second main panel, the first minor panel, and the second minor panel is a tear line, and

the removable portion is defined by at least one tear line that adjoins

at least one of the first main panel and the second main panel, and

at least one of the first minor panel and the second minor panel.

40. The construct of claim 31, wherein the removable portion is defined by a line of disruption initiating and terminating proximate a first end of at least one of the adjoined panels.

41. The construct of claim 40, wherein the line of disruption includes a first portion extending from the first end of at least one of the adjoined panels, a second portion extending obliquely from the first portion, and a third, arcuate portion.

42. The construct of claim 41, wherein the arcuate portion of the line of disruption lies substantially within the first end panel.

43. The construct of claim 42, wherein the arcuate portion of the line of disruption comprises a cut that defines a tab.