Multilayer Susceptor Structure

• US 20100264135A1
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International LLC (Graphic Packaging International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Cole, Lorin R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,604,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/730
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6494 for cooking

Abstract

A microwave heating construct comprises a plurality of heating regions including a first heating region and a second heating region, the first heating region comprising a first layer of microwave energy interactive material, and the second heating region comprising the first layer of microwave energy interactive material and a second layer of microwave energy interactive material, wherein the second heating region is operative for heating, browning, and/or crisping an adjacent food item to a greater extent than the first heating region.

Claims

1. A microwave heating construct, comprising:

a first layer including a plurality of microwave energy transparent areas and a plurality of microwave energy interactive areas; and

a second layer including a microwave energy interactive area, the microwave energy interactive area of the second layer being superposed with the microwave energy transparent areas and the microwave energy interactive areas of the first layer,

wherein the microwave energy interactive areas of the first layer and the second layer comprise a microwave energy interactive material operative for converting at least a portion of impinging microwave energy into thermal energy.

2. The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy transparent areas and the plurality of microwave energy interactive areas are arranged as a plurality of alternating stripes.

3. The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy transparent areas have a width of from about 0.10 to about 0.40 inches, and the microwave energy interactive areas have a width of from about 0.25 to about 0.75 inches.

4. The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy transparent areas have a width of about 0.25 inches and the microwave energy interactive areas have a width of from about 0.50 inches.

5. The construct of claim 1, wherein

the microwave energy transparent areas of the first layer define a first plurality of heating regions, and

the microwave energy interactive areas of the first layer define a second plurality of heating regions, the second plurality of heating regions being operative for heating, browning, and/or crisping an adjacent food item to a greater extent than the first plurality of heating regions.

6. The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive material of the first layer is supported on a first polymer film, the first polymer film defining a first side of the microwave heating construct, the first side of the microwave heating construct being for contacting a food item to be heated, browned, and or crisped.

7. The construct of claim 6, wherein the microwave energy interactive material of the second layer is supported on a second polymer film, the second polymer film defining a second side of the microwave heating construct opposite the first side of the microwave heating construct, the second side of the microwave heating construct being for facing away from the food item to be heated, browned, and or crisped.

8. The construct of claim 6, wherein the microwave energy interactive material of the first layer is joined to a support layer such that the microwave energy interactive material of the first layer is disposed between the first polymer film and the support layer.

9. The construct of claim 8, wherein

the microwave energy interactive material of the first layer is joined to a first side of the support layer, and

the microwave energy interactive material of the second layer is joined to a second side of the support layer opposite the first side.

10. The construct of claim 8, wherein

the support layer is a first support layer, and

the microwave energy interactive material of the second layer is joined to a second support layer such that the microwave energy interactive material of the second layer is disposed between the second polymer film and the second support layer, wherein the first support layer and the second support layer are joined to one another.

11. The construct of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy interactive material of the first layer and the second layer has an optical density of from about 0.17 to about 0.28.

12. A microwave heating construct, comprising:

a plurality of heating regions including a first heating region and a second heating region, the first heating region comprising a first layer of microwave energy interactive material, and the second heating region comprising the first layer of microwave energy interactive material and a second layer of microwave energy interactive material,

wherein the second heating region is operative for heating, browning, and/or crisping an adjacent food item to a greater extent than the first heating region.

13. The construct of claim 12, wherein the first layer of microwave energy interactive material is supported on a first polymer film, the first polymer film defining a first side of the microwave heating construct, the first side of the microwave heating construct being for contacting a food item to be heated, browned, and or crisped.

14. The construct of claim 13, wherein the second layer of microwave energy interactive material is supported on a second polymer film, the second polymer film defining a second side of the microwave heating construct, the second side of the microwave heating construct being for facing away from the food item to be heated, browned, and or crisped.

15. The construct of claim 13, wherein the first layer of microwave energy interactive material is joined to a support layer such that the first layer of microwave energy interactive material is disposed between the first polymer film and the support layer.

16. The construct of claim 15, wherein

the first layer of microwave energy interactive material is joined to a first side of the support layer, and

the second layer of microwave energy interactive material is joined to a second side of the support layer opposite the first side.

17. The construct of claim 15, wherein

the support layer is a first support layer, and

the second layer of microwave energy interactive material is joined to a second support layer such that the second layer of microwave energy interactive material is disposed between the second polymer film and the second support layer, wherein the first support layer and the second support layer are joined to one another.

18. The construct of claim 12, wherein the first and second layers of microwave energy interactive material each have an optical density of from about 0.17 to about 0.28.

19. A method of heating, browning, and/or crisping a food item with varying degrees of intensity, comprising:

placing a food item on a microwave heating construct, the food item having a surface to be browned and/or crisped, the microwave heating construct including a plurality of heating regions including a first heating region and a second heating region, wherein

the first heating region comprises a first layer of microwave energy interactive material, and the second heating region comprises the first layer of microwave energy interactive material and a second layer of microwave energy interactive material, the second heating region being operative for heating, browning, and/or crisping the food item to a greater extent than the first heating region.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising exposing the food item on the microwave heating construct to microwave energy, whereby the first and second layers of microwave energy convert at least a portion of the microwave energy into heat, thereby heating browning, and/or crisping the food item.