Semi-rigid hand-held food package

• US 6,744,028 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Inventors: Chisholm, Gary, Whitmore, Shana
• Primary Examiner(s): Van, Quang T.
• Application Number:
  US10/189,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20030080119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 219/730, 219/732, 219/735, 219/759, 219/725, 219/727, 219/728, 219/729, 219/686, 426/118, 426/112, 426/234, 426/107, 426/241, 426/243, 426/109, 426/113, 383/100, 383/103, 383/204, 428/35.8, 229/123.2, 229/125.35, 229/238, 229/903, 99D/IG.14
• 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 81/3848 semi-rigid container folded up from one or more blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3876 insulating sleeves or jackets for cans, bottles, barrels, etc.

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a convenient semi-rigid hand-held microwaveable package. The package contains a thermal insulating layer that protects the consumer from being burned by handling the hot package. Yet further, the package also contains an easy open device.

Claims

1. A container for heating an item using microwaves comprising:

a container for microwave heating, wherein the container comprises a semi-rigid outer component and a semi-rigid inner component;

a microwave susceptor surface positioned as an inner surface of said inner component, comprising a substrate having a microwave-absorptive coating region; and

a thermal insulating layer positioned as an outer surface of said inner or outer component which protects the consumer from being burned from the hot item after heating in a microwave oven.

2. The container of claim 1 further comprising a tear-strip easy open device, wherein the tear-strip allows for easy and convenient access to an item after heating in a microwave oven.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the item is a food item.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein said thermal insulating layer protects said food item from warming pre-maturely.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein said microwave-absorptive region is deposited, printed, extruded, or laminated on said substrate.

6. The container of claim 1, further comprising graphics on the outside of said container, wherein said graphics are printed with thermotropic ink.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein said graphics provide instructions for handling said item.

8. A container for heating an item using microwaves comprising:

a container for microwave heating, wherein the container comprises a semi-rigid outer component and a semi-rigid inner component;

a microwave susceptor surface positioned as an inner surface of said inner component, comprising a substrate having a microwave-absorptive coating region;

a thermal insulating layer positioned as an outer surface of said inner or outer component which protects the consumer from being burned from the hot item after heating in a microwave oven; and

a tear-strip easy open device, wherein the tear-strip allows for easy and convenient access to the hot item after heating in a microwave oven.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein said microwave-absorptive region is deposited, printed, extruded, or laminated on said substrate.

10. The container of claim 8, further comprising graphics on the outside of said container, wherein said graphics are printed with thermotropic ink.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein said graphics provide instructions for handling said item.

12. The container of claim 8, wherein said container is a hand-held, portable container which is held in one hand during use of said item.

13. A container for heating an item using microwaves comprising:

a container for microwave heating, wherein the container comprises a semi-rigid outer component and a semi-rigid inner component;

a microwave susceptor surface positioned as an inner surface of said inner component, comprising a substrate having a microwave-absorptive coating region; and

a thermal insulating layer positioned as a gas cell between said inner and outer components which provides a means for circulation of gases to decrease the rate of heat transfer from the inner component to the outer component to protect the consumer from being burned from the hot item after heating in a microwave oven.

14. The container of claim 13, wherein the inner component is connected to the outer component to stabilize the placement of the inner component.

15. The container of claim 13, wherein the inner component contains vents to release steam into the gas cell.

16. The container of claim 13, wherein the susceptor contains focus holes to release steam into the gas cell.