Microwave cooking enclosure for food items

• US 5,288,962 A
• Filed: 11/16/1992
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ConAgra Frozen Foods, Inc. (Conagra Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ConAgra Frozen Foods, Inc. (Conagra Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lorence, Matthew W., Turpin, Charles H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung, Philip H.
• Application Number:
  US07/976,560
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 219/10.55 E, 219/10.55 F, 426/107, 426/109, 426/234, 426/241, 426/243, 99/DIG. 14
• US Class Current: 219/729
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3408 Cakes and the like, e.g. muffins, cupcakes
• 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 2581/3489 Microwave reflector, i.e. microwave shield B65D2581/3487 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3494 Microwave susceptor B65D2581/3487 takes precedence
• 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: Y10S 99/14 Induction heating

Abstract

An enclosure for cooking and browning pot pies and similar food items in a microwave oven is disclosed. The enclosure has a first microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein, and a susceptor layer positioned below the first reflective shield. A pan for containing a food item and having a susceptor lining for further cooking and browning the food item is located below the first reflective shield and susceptor layer. A second microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein can be advantageously positioned below the pot pie pan. The arrangement of the reflective shields and the susceptor layer in connection with the pan provide for the selective cooking and browning of the food item to the desired degree. Another embodiment of the present invention includes having a reflective shield defining a single hole therein positioned below the pan, along with a susceptor layer above the pan.

Claims

1. An enclosure for cooking and browning a food item in a microwave oven, comprising:

a pan for containing the food item and having a susceptor lining for converting microwave energy to thermal energy for cooking the food item;

a first microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein;

a susceptor layer positioned below the first reflective shield and above said pan; and

a second microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein and positioned below said pan, whereby the enclosure provides for the selective cooking and browning of a food item when cooked in the enclosure.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the pan contains a food item.

3. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the area of the susceptor layer is at least as large as that of the hole of the first reflective shield.

4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the hole of the first reflective shield and the hole of the second reflective shield correspond to the approximate size and shape of the pan.

5. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein said holes are aligned with each other.

6. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the holes are further aligned with the pan.

7. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the hole of the first reflective shield and the hole of the second reflective shield are circular.

8. The enclosure of claim 7, wherein the hole in the first reflective shield is about 3 inches in diameter and the hole in the second reflective shield is about 21/2 inches in diameter.

9. The enclosure of claim 7, wherein said holes are concentrically aligned.

10. The enclosure of claim 9, wherein the pan has a circular bottom which is concentrically aligned with the holes of said first and second reflective shields for optimum cooking and browning of the food item.

11. The enclosure of claim 10, wherein the pan contains a food item.

12. A carton for cooking and browning a pot pie in a microwave oven, comprising:

a carton having a top panel, a bottom panel and a supporting structure for maintaining said top panel in an elevated position relative to said bottom panel;

a pan for containing a pot pie, the pan positioned in the carton between the top and bottom panels and having a susceptor lining for converting microwave energy to thermal energy for cooking the pot pie;

a first microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein;

a susceptor layer positioned below the first reflective shield and above said pan, such that the shield is located between the top panel of the carton and the susceptor layer; and

a second microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein and positioned below said pan, whereby the carton provides for the selective cooking and browning of a pot pie when cooked in the carton.

13. The carton of claim 12, wherein the pan contains a pot pie.

14. The carton of claim 12, wherein the area of the susceptor layer is at least as large as that of the hole in said first microwave reflective shield.

15. The carton of claim 12, wherein the supporting structure for maintaining said top panel in an elevated position relative to said bottom panel is comprised of four side walls.

16. The carton of claim 12, wherein the hole of the first reflective shield and the hole of the second reflective shield correspond to the approximate size and shape of the pan.

17. The carton of claim 16, wherein said holes are aligned with each other.

18. The carton of claim 17, wherein the holes are further aligned with the pan.

19. The carton of claim 16, wherein the hole of the first reflective shield and the hole of the second reflective shield are circular.

20. The carton of claim 19, wherein the hole in the first reflective shields is about 3 inches in diameter and the hole in the second reflective shield is about 21/2 inches in diameter.

21. The carton of claim 19, wherein said holes are concentrically aligned with each other.

22. The carton of claim 21, wherein said pan has a circular bottom which is concentrically aligned with the holes of said first and second reflective shields for optimum cooking and browning of the pot pie.

23. The carton of claim 22, wherein the pan contains a pot pie.

24. A carton for cooking and browning a pot pie in a microwave oven, comprising:

a carton having a top panel, a bottom panel and four side walls;

a pan containing a pot pie, said pan having a susceptor lining for converting microwave energy to thermal energy for cooking the pot pie, said pan positioned in the carton between the top and bottom panels;

a first microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein positioned adjacent to the top panel;

a susceptor layer positioned below the first reflective shield and above said pan such that the shield is located between the top panel of the carton and the susceptor layer; and

a second microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein positioned adjacent to the bottom panel of the carton, said hole of the first shield and said hole of the second shield correspond to the approximate size and shape of the pot pie to be cooked in the carton, said holes are aligned with one another and are further aligned with the pan, whereby the carton provides for the selective cooking and browning of a pot pie when cooked in the carton.

25. An enclosure for cooking and browning a food item in a microwave oven, comprising:

a pan for containing a food item, said pan having a susceptor lining for cooking and browning the food item;

a susceptor layer positioned above said pan; and

a microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein, said reflective shield positioned below the pan, whereby the enclosure provides for the selective cooking and browning of a food item when cooked in the enclosure.

26. The enclosure of claim 25, wherein the pan contains a food item.

27. The enclosure of claim 25, wherein the pan is positioned between a top panel and a bottom panel of the enclosure and further comprising a support structure for maintaining said top panel in an elevated position relative to said bottom panel.

28. The enclosure of claim 25, wherein the hole of the reflective shield corresponds to the approximate size and shape of the pan.

29. The enclosure of claim 28, wherein said hole is aligned with the pan.

30. The enclosure of claim 28, wherein the hole of the reflective shield is circular and has a diameter of about 21/4 inches.

31. The enclosure of claim 28, wherein the hole is circular and wherein the pan has a circular bottom which is concentrically aligned with the hole.

32. The enclosure of claim 31, wherein the pan contains a food item.

33. An enclosure for cooking and browning a food item in a microwave oven, comprising:

a top panel, a bottom panel and a support structure for maintaining said top panel in an elevated position relative to said bottom panel;

a pan for holding a food item, said pan having a susceptor lining for cooking and browning said food item;

a susceptor layer positioned above said pan; and

a reflective shield defining a single hole therein, said reflective shield positioned below the top panel, such that it is located between the top panel and the susceptor layer, whereby the enclosure provides for the selective cooking and browning of a food item when cooked in the enclosure.

34. The enclosure of claim 33, wherein the pan contains a food item.

35. The enclosure of claim 33, wherein the hole of the reflective shield corresponds to the approximate size and shape of the pan.

36. The enclosure of claim 35, wherein the hole is aligned with the pan.

37. The enclosure of claim 36, wherein the hole is circular and wherein the pan has a circular bottom which is concentrically aligned with the hole.

38. The enclosure of claim 37, wherein the pan contains a food item.

39. The enclosure of claim 35, further comprising:

a second microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein, said second shield positioned above the bottom panel of said carton such that it is located between the pan and the bottom panel.

40. The enclosure of claim 39, wherein the holes of said first and second shield are aligned with each other.

41. The enclosure of claim 40, wherein the holes are aligned with the pan.

42. The enclosure of claim 41, wherein the pan contains a food item.