Hand-held food package

• US 6,683,289 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Inventors: Willcocks, Neil A., Dido, Jeannette, Chisholm, Gary, Whitmore, Shana, Decelles, Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Van, Quang T.
• Application Number:
  US10/190,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20030080120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 219/725, 219/727, 219/728, 219/729, 219/730, 219/732, 219/735, 219/686, 99D/IG.14, 426/107, 426/109, 426/112, 426/113, 426/118, 426/234, 426/241, 426/243, 426/90, 426/232, 229/903, 229/198.2, 229/403, 383/100, 383/103, 383/204, 428/34.6
• US Class Current: 219/730
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2205/00 Venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2205/02 Venting holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3467 Microwave reactive layer shaped by delamination, demetallizing or embossing
• 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 2581/3483 Carbon, carbon black, or graphite
• 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 2581/3497 attached to the side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/029 the tubular body presenting a special shape pyramidal B65D5/008
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5445 for dividing a tubular body into separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/02 Wrapped articles enclosed in rigid or semi-rigid containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3876 insulating sleeves or jackets for cans, bottles, barrels, etc.

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a hand-held microwaveable container formed from microwaveable appropriate material, The container includes a thermal insulating layer that allows a microwaved container to be removed from a microwave oven and held in a user'"'"'s hand while using the contents of the container. The container also can include a susceptor surface adjacent the food item within the container. The container further includes an opening mechanism for easily opening the container and optionally a venting mechanism.

Claims

1. A hand held microwaveable container comprising a microwave susceptor surface and a thermal insulating layer that is separate from the susceptor suface, the insulating layer allowing a microwaved container to be removed from a microwave oven and held in a user'"'"'s hand, wherein the thermal insulating layer provides a lowered rate of heat transfer from contents inside of the container to an outer surface of the container.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the susceptor surface comprises a substrate having a microwave-absorptive coating region, the microwave-absorptive region being deposited, printed, extruded, or laminated on said substrate.

3. The container of claim 1, further including an opening mechanism for easily opening the container.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the opening mechanism is selected from a group consisting of tear notches, tear strip, tear tape, oriented film, laser etch line, perforations, and tear glue.

5. The container of claim 1, further including a venting mechanism.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the thermal insulating material is selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic synthetic resin, fluted board, embossed paper, polystyrene foam, polypropylene foam, polyethylene terephthalate foam, and poly-ester in any form.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the contents within the container is a food item.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the susceptor surface comprises a substrate having a microwave-absorptive coating region, the microwave-absorptive region being deposited, printed, extruded, or laminated on said substrate.

11. The container of claim 9, wherein the opening mechanism is selected from a group consisting of tear notches, tear strip, tear tape, oriented film, laser etch line, perforations, and tear glue.

8. A hand held microwaveable container comprising:

a container for microwave cooking or heating wherein the container comprises an outer component formed from a semi-rigid material and an inner component formed from a flexible material having a microwave susceptor surface; and

a thermal insulating surface on at least a portion of the outer components wherein the thermal insulating surface is separate from the susceptor surface.

10. The container of claim 8, further including an opening mechanism for easily opening the container.

12. The container of claim 8, further including a venting mechanism.

13. The container of claim 8, wherein the outer component is in the shape of a sleeve, a cup or a carton.

14. The container of claim 8, wherein the thermal insulating material is selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic synthetic resin, fluted board, embossed paper, polystyrene foam, polypropylene foam, polyethylene terephthalate foam, and poly-ester in any form.

15. The container of claim 8, wherein the semi-rigid material of the outer component is selected from a group consisting of paperboard, laminated paperboard, corrugated board, paperboard canister material, and plastic sheeting.

16. The container of claim 15, wherein the corrugated board is selected from the group consisting of corrugated board in the form of micro-flutes, E-shaped flutes, F-shaped flutes, B-shaped flutes, and C-shaped flutes.

17. The container of claim 15, wherein the plastic sheeting includes polyethylene terephthalate.

18. The container of claim 15, wherein the paperboard is laminated with film selected from a group consisting of susceptor film, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene.

19. The container of claim 8, wherein the flexible material of the inner component is selected from a group consisting of film or sheets of polyethylene terephthalate, film or sheets of polypropylene, foamed polypropylene, foamed polyethylene terephthalate, paper/polyethylene terephthalate/susceptor laminate, cellophane/polyethylene terephthalate/susceptor laminate, polyethylene terephthalate/susceptor film, aluminium laminate, and paperboard susceptor laminate.

20. A hand held microwaveable container comprising:

a container for microwave use, wherein the container comprises a component formed from a rigid, semi-rigid or flexible material having a microwave susceptor surface; and

a thermal insulating surface on at least a portion of the component, wherein the thermal insulating surface is separate from the microwave susceptor.

21. The container of claim 20 wherein the component further includes inner and outer components.

22. The container of claim 20, wherein the component is laminated.

23. The container of claim 22, wherein the susceptor surface comprises a substrate having a microwave-absorptive coating region, the microwave-absorptive region being deposited, printed, extruded, or laminated on said substrate.

24. The container of claim 20, further including an opening mechanism for easily opening the container.

25. The container of claim 24, wherein the opening mechanism is selected from a group consisting of tear notches, tear strip, tear tape, oriented film, laser etch line, perforations, and tear glue.

26. The container of claim 20, further including a venting mechanism.

27. The container of claim 20, wherein the thermal insulating material is selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic synthetic resin, fluted board, embossed paper, polystyrene foam, polypropylene foam, polyethylene terephthalate foam, and poly-ester in any form.

28. The container of claim 20, wherein the flexible material of the component is selected from a group consisting of film or sheets of polyethylene terephthalate, film or sheets of polypropylene, foamed polypropylene, foamed polyethylene terephthalate, paper/polyethylene terephthalate/susceptor laminate, cellophane/polyethylene terephthalate/susceptor laminate, polyethylene terephthalate/susceptor film, aluminium laminate, and paperboard susceptor laminate.

29. The container of claim 20, wherein the semi-rigid material of the component is selected from a group consisting of paperboard, laminated paperboard, corrugated board, paperboard canister material, and plastic sheeting.

30. The container of claim 29, wherein the corrugated board is selected from the group consisting of corrugated board in the form of micro-flutes, E-shaped flutes, F-shaped flutes, B-shaped flutes, and C-shaped flutes.

31. The container of claim 29, wherein the plastic sheeting includes polyethylene terephthalate.

32. The container of claim 29, wherein the paperboard is laminated with film selected from a group consisting of susceptor film, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene.

33. The container of claim 20, wherein the rigid material of the component is selected from a group consisting of injection molded plastics, thermoformed plastics, thermoformed terephthalate, injection molded polyethylene terephthalate, paperboard, laminated paperboard, laminated molded pulp, single side fluted board, double side fluted board, corrugated board, and embossed paperboard.

34. The container of claim 20, wherein the microwave use of the container includes cooking or heating a food item contained within the container.

35. The container of claim 20, wherein the microwave use of the container includes heating an item contained within the container.